For more than a century, American presidents have shaped the world’s political order by building alliances and forging trade and security arrangements that make peace possible. Today, the United States faces perilous challenges that will only be addressed by reshaping this international order and promoting a new set of American values.
Foreign policy involves the official policies and activities of a nation’s government in its relations with other nations and their people, including diplomatic relationships, treaty negotiations, economic cooperation, military alliances, arms control, and humanitarian and development assistance. It also includes the broader goal of fostering understanding between the citizens of the United States and those of other countries. These goals are accomplished by a wide range of officials at embassy posts, consulates, and other agencies abroad.
Many of these official efforts are driven by the belief that America’s first objective must be to safeguard and enhance its liberty, security, and prosperity. They are rooted in the indisputable fact that a world of free market democracies is most likely to realize the promise of globalization while minimizing its perils.
But this Americanist vision is not without its critics. Globalists point out that the United States is not omnipotent, and that its military and economic power cannot ensure world peace. They argue that the only credible way to ensure American security in an age of global politics is to integrate the world’s “have-nots” into a Western-style zone of peace and prosperity. They also argue that some crucial problems defy unilateral solutions – such as the threat of global terrorism and climate change.
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