East, South, or West? Since the end of the Bush administration, the foreign policy question that every American politician has asked is: “In which direction do we go?” The future of America lies in that answer. They have four choices.
The Middle East lies to the west. Some argue that America should steer clear from the Middle East. They say that is was a future for America in the early 1990’s, but not today. Others say that America will always have its place in those countries. They use the Arab Spring as a prime example of how the Islamic Nations are not ready for the “NATO Countries” to leave. They claim that democracy must be spread. And even if it Democracy isn’t a priority, safety of millions of Arabs is. With the Iran tensions, the U.S. is carefully watching to see what play out in the west.
To the east are China, Japan, and North Korea. China is becoming an ever-increasing threat to America. Its economic centric government is succeeding in its goal to become the largest economy on Earth. Japan is in a prime position. For the past two decades they have been smashed. Numerous times. With the tsunami in the spring of 2011, Japan received, perhaps, the blow that will give them momentum to swing back into the game. North Korea suffered the death of its renowned leader, Kim Jong il in December of 2011. His son, Kim Jong un could help open up North Korea to the world. Or he could follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him.
Central and South American: The United States sisters in geography alone. In the 2011 State of the Union address, Obama said he wanted to “forge new alliances across the Americas.” With Brazil in alliance with Russia, India and China, The U.S. needs to be careful how they proceed. With the Mexican drug wars just across the border, and unlocked potential in the south, many think that the U.S. should focus in on the Americas. Others claim that South America is just a subcontinent of the west and doesn’t need much attention; that Americas foreign aim should be east or west.
There is a final direction. Less talked about and written off to the extremists on both the right and left. That direction is home. It is a choice to pull back and focus on America and leave foreign policy at the wayside. This choice undoubtedly has its problems. Most moderates say that the U.S. is too engrained in world affairs to pick up and leave. They believe the world will crumble and fall to pieces without the red white and blue. Others say that unless America pulls back and heals itself that the United States will be the one falling to pieces.
The Middle East lies to the west. Some argue that America should steer clear from the Middle East. They say that is was a future for America in the early 1990’s, but not today. Others say that America will always have its place in those countries. They use the Arab Spring as a prime example of how the Islamic Nations are not ready for the “NATO Countries” to leave. They claim that democracy must be spread. And even if it Democracy isn’t a priority, safety of millions of Arabs is. With the Iran tensions, the U.S. is carefully watching to see what play out in the west.
To the east are China, Japan, and North Korea. China is becoming an ever-increasing threat to America. Its economic centric government is succeeding in its goal to become the largest economy on Earth. Japan is in a prime position. For the past two decades they have been smashed. Numerous times. With the tsunami in the spring of 2011, Japan received, perhaps, the blow that will give them momentum to swing back into the game. North Korea suffered the death of its renowned leader, Kim Jong il in December of 2011. His son, Kim Jong un could help open up North Korea to the world. Or he could follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him.
Central and South American: The United States sisters in geography alone. In the 2011 State of the Union address, Obama said he wanted to “forge new alliances across the Americas.” With Brazil in alliance with Russia, India and China, The U.S. needs to be careful how they proceed. With the Mexican drug wars just across the border, and unlocked potential in the south, many think that the U.S. should focus in on the Americas. Others claim that South America is just a subcontinent of the west and doesn’t need much attention; that Americas foreign aim should be east or west.
There is a final direction. Less talked about and written off to the extremists on both the right and left. That direction is home. It is a choice to pull back and focus on America and leave foreign policy at the wayside. This choice undoubtedly has its problems. Most moderates say that the U.S. is too engrained in world affairs to pick up and leave. They believe the world will crumble and fall to pieces without the red white and blue. Others say that unless America pulls back and heals itself that the United States will be the one falling to pieces.
Regardless of what choice America makes, it needs to make one. For the first three years of the Obama administration, foreign policy didn’t have much of a direction. Since 2011, they have been aimed toward Asia and the pacific. They continue to keep an eye on the Middle East but are trying to pull the troops out and let the Middle East figure out what is next for its civilization. Now that elections are underway, America may need to make another choice relatively soon. Will it be East, South or West?
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