THEMES, Atlande, Foreign policy Flashcards
1
Q
21st century changes
A
- after 1991 victory: US as a “super-power”
- now world domination in all attributes of power (economic, military, diplomatic, cultural…): BRICS
- to put an end to unipolarity?
2
Q
Speech on foreign relations, Chicago in 2007
“A New Beginning”
A
“Instead of having more Americans serving in military bands than the diplomatic corps, we need to grow our foreign policy service. Instead of retreating from the world, I will personally lead a new chapter of American engagement.”
3
Q
Obama’s obective
A
- after Bush
- restore American leadership through a US practice of foreign relations // value ideals exemplified by American history
- “smart-power”
4
Q
Nobel Peace Prize
A
The Nobel committee embraced the messenger for “his extraordinary efforts to streghten international diplomcy and cooperation between peoples.”
5
Q
The Clinton Administrations
A
- framework for a new Democratic foreign policy identity in the immediate East-West reconciliation era
- UN Ambassador to the UN, then Secretary of State: Madeleine Albright’s visions in the “3Ds”
6
Q
Redefinition of American foreign policy was imperative
A
- after the Cold War
- identity crisis after 9/11
- “dirty war” in Irak
- 2007-2008 financial crisis
7
Q
Obama’s projection in 2008
Skowronek
A
- modern networks of global communication
- his persona
- his rhetoric (and the charm of the family)
- rised hope in military de-escalation and diplomatic reconciliation
- election proved performative: it generated positive anticipation and a break from the past
8
Q
“Smart-power”
A
- introduced in 2004 by Suzanne Nossel
- “the smart use of power is needed to promote U.S. interests through a stable grid of allies, institutions, and norms”
- nonetheless, the administration emphasized har power military preparedness by augmenting the Pentagon’s capacity to respond to multiple simultaneous crises + inflating defense budgets (campaign promise of cost reduction)
9
Q
State Department Quadrennial for Diplomacy and Develoment (QDDR)
A
- december 2010
- “21st century statecraft” addressed the integrated and interdependent diplomatic issues of globalization
- gouvernance politique pour le 21è siècle
- energy and environment
- security and counterterrorism
- health and education
- …
10
Q
Unilateralism
A
- GW Bush’s unilateral War in Irak
- Vietnam War
- national interest irreconcilable with its allies
- Obama’s choice to go back to multilateralism
11
Q
Obama’s style
A
- political realism
- humanist universal ideals
- “whole-of-government” approach: joint activities performed by diverse Ministries, Public Administrations and Public Agencies in order to provide a common solution to a particular problems or issues // une approche qui implique l’ensemble des rouages de l’État
12
Q
United States Agency for International Development
A
- people-to-people program
- education
- gender equality
- green jobs
- community organization
- economic and technological development
13
Q
Social networks and e-governance
A
- to empower citizen participation to inspire democratic transitions
- State Department’s digital division designed to “amplify our messaging across a waide range of platforms”, Clinton’s memoirs
14
Q
Pax Americana
A
American peace —used for the period of relative tranquility from circa 1945 to the present day in regions to which U.S. power has extended.
15
Q
Responsibility to Protect
R2P
A
- defined by the UN in 2005
- embodies the UN Security Council prevent the worst forms of violence and persecution from happening
16
Q
Benghazi attack
A
- 9/11/2012
- failure to protect
- which haunted Clinton until the 2016 election campaign
17
Q
Iraq War
A
- Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2010)
- renamed Operation New Dawn in 2010
- Leon Panetta replaced Bob Gates in 2011
- 1,5 million Americans served in Iraq
- 4,500 died
- 30,000 wounded
18
Q
Israeli-Palestinian peace process
A
- Rhodes, “Dealing with Bibi [was] like dealing with the Republicains
- never on the same beat
- position: two-state solution, recognition of the existence of the “Jewish state” and Jerusalem capital to both countries
- Obama “coming out from the Jewish community of Chicago. I’m basically a liberal Jew”, Rhodes
- December 2016, UNSC resolution: the USA abstained, allowing for a unanimous condemnation of Israeli settlements (expanding on the West Bank)
19
Q
Asia-Pacific
A
- 2009: US-ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation
- 2011: APEC (Asian-Pacific Economic Forum) organized in Hawaii
- Clinton, 2011: “The future of politics will be decided in Asia, not Afghanistan or Iraq, and the United Stateq will be at the center of the action”
- by fall 2011: Clinton travelled 7 times to Asia to strenghten traty alliances and build “mutual trust” with China
- China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001: expanding its trade and investments network globally and military expansion
20
Q
North Korea
A
- resumed its nuclear testing in February 2013
- Indyl, Bending History: world’s third-largest chemical weapons stockpile and possibly biological weapons
- January 2016 tests followed by the North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act
- relisting North Korea as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism for its cyber attacks, armed support of similarly listed “terrorist” entities in the Middle East
21
Q
South Korea
A
- negotiations towards a bilateral Free Trade Agreement finalized in 2010
- joint military exercises in the Korean West Sea
22
Q
Defense budget
A
- FY 2010: $691 bn
- FY 2008 and 2009: $666 bn
- FY 2012: $645 bn (post-Iraq)
- FY 2015: $580 bn
- Trump: above $600 bn
23
Q
New York Times editorial, July 2014
A
- “Rarely hs a president been confronted with so many so many seemingly disparate foreign policy crises at once”
- public opinion praised the end of Iraq war
- but June 2014, 58% of Americans dispproved of Obama’s leadership in world affairs
24
Q
Hillary Clinton “3Ds”
A
- development
- diplomacy
- defense
25
Q
Afghanistan war
A
- longest war
- wartime had become the post 9/11 norm
26
Q
Program to support the Free Syrian Army
A
- “Timber Sycamore”
- 1$ billion
27
Q
Saudi-American relationship
A
- American ally since 1945
- Yemen war: questioned allied use of US arms sales and others… as complicity in genocide
- NGOS: humanitarian crisis
- USA be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague next to the Saudis
- Obama Administration pledged to cooperate with it on human rights
- media pressure, September 2016, Republican Congress distanced itself from Saudi Arabia by passing the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA)
28
Q
Drone strikes
A
- 542 drone strikes
- killed an estimated 3,797 people (including 324 civilians)
- “most successful terrorist-hunter” Goldberg, “The Obama Doctrine”, The Atlantic
29
Q
USCYBERCOM
A
- smart power counterterrorist legacy
- 2010
- military Command for cybersecurity and warfare
- to block attacks
- to conduct miltary cuber operations
- to protect priority missions…
30
Q
Conclusion
A
- Obama’s personal imprint renewed American leadership
- infused human empathy in international relations
- doctrinal defender of multilateral diplomacy
- reluctant warrior deploying a “Revolution in Military Affairs” to privilege remote control unmanned drones
- winning peace ≠ winning wars
- Ben Rhodes: Obama was not soft
- Singh, After Obama. Renewing American Leadership, Restoring Global Order: “Obama Syndrome” of “retrenchment, retreat and accomodation”
- failure in dismantling Daesh: multi-headed hydra
