03-26-2018, 09:11 AM
Just read an interesting article, this morning: https://theconversation.com/fewer-diplomats-more-armed-force-defines-us-leadership-today-92890
This is definitely an interesting shift in our foreign policy, and one that I fear will have long-lasting negative implications. We are already seen as a bully state by many other states around the world, and this exacerbates that. The appointment of Bolton to NSA will likely compound this given his positions.
Now, this isn't new. As the article goes on to discuss "kinetic diplomacy," it does note that the diplomatic shift started in earnest post-9/11. Obama was also more active militarily. Trump has just kicked it into high gear and seemingly made it highly improbable for diplomatic solutions to be reached were a crisis to erupt.
Quote:A strong legacy of U.S. leadership and engagement in global politics has been reduced today to what I call kinetic diplomacy – diplomacy by armed force.
As of March 2018, the Trump administration has appointed only 70 of 188 U.S. ambassadors. At the same time, it has increased the deployment of special operations forces to 149 countries – up from 138 during the Obama administration in 2016. So while U.S. ambassadors are operating in one-third of the world’s capitals, special operations forces are active in three-fourths.
This is definitely an interesting shift in our foreign policy, and one that I fear will have long-lasting negative implications. We are already seen as a bully state by many other states around the world, and this exacerbates that. The appointment of Bolton to NSA will likely compound this given his positions.
Now, this isn't new. As the article goes on to discuss "kinetic diplomacy," it does note that the diplomatic shift started in earnest post-9/11. Obama was also more active militarily. Trump has just kicked it into high gear and seemingly made it highly improbable for diplomatic solutions to be reached were a crisis to erupt.
"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy..." - TR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
