Barack Obama talked a lot in his election campaign about a change of strategy in foreign policy. He said he was willing to talk to America’s enemies. The list includes Cuba and Venezuela as well as North Korea; more controversial still was his proposal to talk to Iran. But it also includes a list of Middle Eastern enemies, such as Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria.
Whether his new policy stretches to opening a dialogue with the Taliban he hasn’t said. But the change of tone is clear. Hard power, force projection, hasn’t achieved much. In many case it’s made matters worse. That is his argument for trying something else. Many of his foreign affairs appointments will start being ratified by the Senate this week, where his fresh approach will be on display in detail.
The link says this is a BBC “religious programme.” What’s “religion” now? Obama, or foreign policy, or both?