Why the United States Needs a Grand Strategy

The country must choose a foreign-policy before someone forces one on us

The consensus amongst most observers is that US foreign policy is in disarray. Detractors of the current administration lay blame squarely on a what they characterize as chaotic leadership, inconsistent decision-making, and ineffective policy application by the president. His supporters however point to what they see as significant errors by previous administrations, proof that the President inherited ‘damaged goods’ when he took office. Both sides are correct. In fact, since 9/11 there really has been no foundation or grand strategy guiding US foreign-policy at all.

Policy mistakes have certainly been made over the last two decades, but they are more the result of the lack of a grand strategy than shortcomings of individual administrations. The need to develop a post-Cold War strategic vision was clearly understood during the 1990s as a variety of actors debated between neo-isolationism, internationalism, and primacy as the appropriate US grand strategy. 9/11 put that debate on hold however, wrongly convincing many that the only focus of US grand strategy was to pursue defeat of extremist terrorism. The reality is that as we approach the 30-year anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall the US continues to lack a clear vision and purpose for its post-Cold War…