Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy

Being a world power, the United States interacts with almost, if not every nation. In this regard, the American Foreign Policy becomes important. The policy aims to govern the interaction of the United States with other countries in the world. Besides this, it also spells out the manner in which American firms, organizations and citizens should relate with each other. According to its Foreign Policy Agenda, foreign policy is intended to “create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community.” (Watts 112).

Foreign policy covers a multitude of issues. It highlights the powers bestowed on the president and congress, geography, oil, and foreign aid, military, covert and anti-drugs action. Currently, the foreign policy is focused on closing down the Guantanamo Bay prison, and restricting the use of torture as a means to getting information from suspects in a bid to uphold the sanctity of human life. President Obama is also concerned about climate change, and in this respect, has appointed a commission to look into ways of mitigating the effects of climate change. He has set aside $150 billion to research and develop clean energy.

The President has unveiled a new approach to bring peace into Afghanistan and Pakistan, which have been under al Qaeda attacks. He has proposed the use of diplomacy between the United States and the two countries to come up with the most comprehensive way of ending al Qaeda dominance. Another declaration by the President aims to do way with the threat posed by nuclear weapons. While on a visit to Prague in the Czech Republic, he proposed to enforce the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which would subject nuclear weapons to testing before use. He also proposed that nuclear weapons should no longer be supplied, especially to terrorists.

President Obama aims to enhance harmony and security in Israel and Pakistan. These two countries have been fighting each other for the longest time but the President believes in a peaceful co-existence of the two. In this regard, he appointed an ambassador to maintain peace in the Middle East. The President also seeks to renew alliances between the US and other countries by resolving existing differences and building on common interests. Obama is concerned about the ongoing war in Darfur. Through the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and appointment of an emissary to Sudan, the aim is to ensure that peace and stability prevail in Sudan (Warczinski 68).

Another of President Obama’s objective is to ensure peaceful relations between the US and Latin America. However, the issue that is most dominant in the American foreign policy is the war in Iraq. In February 2009, the President declared his intention to end the war. He promised that by the end of August 2010, the US would change its mission in Iraq from fighting to restructuring the nation. Instead of fighting, the American soldiers’ objective will be to train the Iraqi soldiers on peacekeeping missions, equip them with skills for peacekeeping. To protect Iraq from outside invasion, the American troops will give advice to Iraq’s security detail.

Obama said that American troops would work together with the Iraqi forces in countering terrorism in Iraq while protecting the civilians. In addition, the President seeks to have American troops out of Iraq by the end of 2011, pursuant to the Status of Forces Agreement, SOFA made between the US and Iraq. Among the provisions of SOFA is that America will cease to fight in Iraq by the end of June 2009, and by the end of 2011, American soldiers will no longer be present in Iraq.

Because of the war, America has lost its credibility as an advocate of the human right to life. While it may feel justified to continue with the war, the result is wanton destruction of property and taking of countless innocent lives. Another result is that America almost lost its allies in the United Kingdom, Spain and France. Though these relationships are not completely broken, it is unlikely that they will support the US in any future wars. Many wait to see if President Obama will stay true to his word and honor the Status of Forces Agreement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

Warczinski, Julian. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement Sudan 2005: An Example of Successful Peacebuilding? Berlin: GRIN Verlag, 2008. Print.

Watts, Duncan. Dictionary of American Government and Politics. UK: Edinburgh University Press, 2010. Print.