Brad Carson: “for more than a decade, American foreign policy has struggled to define its role in the post-Cold War world. Unsure of…”

“for more than a decade, American foreign policy has struggled to define its role in the post-Cold War world. Unsure of when to use military force, how to use it, and with which allies, we have stumbled from engagement to ad hoc engagement from Somalia to Kosovo. We have at times acted hastily in the world; more often, far too late. Our recent fecklessness points up the foreign policy confusion that the welcome end of the long war with totalitarianism has left with us. Confronted with the Soviet Union, Democrats and Republicans were united in the goals of containment and deterrence, this latter purpose backed up by the threat of nuclear annihilation. Such strategies are, of course, still not outdated, as we face an unstable Russia and a growing China, both armed with significant nuclear arsenals. But the primacy of these doctrines has no doubt receded with the Peace of Paris and with the difficult challenges that have arisen since. As our Nation enters the 21st century, we are confronted by some of these challenges, like humanitarian crises in Somalia which are brought into our homes through the global reach of communications technology, and world opinion demands action to bring relief.”