There are a variety of perspectives on contemporary American foreign policy. Some, like Donald Trump, believe that the US should pursue its national interests aggressively. Others, like Hillary Clinton, believe that the US should continue to follow a policy of multilateral engagement. A third position is that of President Obama who is trying to rein in American commitments abroad in a subdued policy of realpolitik so that American commitments can be more carefully tailored to American capabilities. One perspective that is not often articulated in the traditional media is that the US should pare back its commitments to avoid the danger of “imperial” overstretch. Jeffrey Sachs has written an essay for the Boston Globe that outlines the logic of the leftist critique of the American Empire.
The battle for Mosul continues and it also appears as if the US is thinking seriously about targeting the Syrian city of Raqqa. Both cities are the main bases for Daesh (the Islamic State) so one of the central questions in this chess game is where will Daesh go if it loses its main bases? One should always think about the consequences of “success” when planning a long-term foreign policy. The problem is that there is no good evidence about how Daesh is thinking about its next move. Justin Salhani offers some ideas about how to anticipate its move.
More violence is occurring along the border between India and Pakistan in Kashmir. Even more troubling are reports that many young Pakistani men are leaving home to join the Pakistani militants committed to ending Indian control of parts of Kashmir. The anecdotal evidence is hardly conclusive, but it suggests that it is quite possible that a much larger offensive is being planned. The situation now is barely under control and the prospects of a major war between the two nuclear armed powers are becoming more real every day.
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