No. 2457 September 1, 2010 Defining the Obama Doctrine, Its Pitfalls, and How to Avoid Them Kim R. Holmes, Ph.D., and James Jay Carafano, Ph.D. Abstract: President Barack Obama has said that Amer- ica would reach out to other countries as “an equal part- ner” rather than as the “exceptional” nation that many Talking Points before him had embraced; that “any world order that ele- • President Obama’s foreign policy ideas are jell- vates one nation or group of people over another will inev- ing into what can be described as an emerging itably fail”; and that “[o]ur problems must be dealt with Obama Doctrine. Unfortunately, it is a doctrine that makes the United States—and the world— through partnership” and “progress must be shared.” He less secure, courting global instability. has laid out in his public statements the tenets of a doctrine • The Obama Doctrine revolves around trust in that, if enacted, would enable his Administration to the ability and willingness of international remake America as one nation among many, with no sin- institutions to solve our most fundamental gular claim either to responsibility or exceptionalism: (1) foreign policy challenges, such as terrorism or America will ratify more treaties and turn to international nuclear proliferation, often before we turn to organizations more often to deal with global crises and our traditional friends and treaty allies. security concerns like nuclear weapons, often before turn- • Under President Obama, the United States ing to our traditional friends and allies; (2) America will will also try so-called soft-power approaches emphasize diplomacy and “soft power” instruments such like summitry and foreign aid and de-empha- as summits and foreign aid to promote its aims and down- size military might. play military might; (3) America will adopt a more humble • The Obama Doctrine is anchored in the belief that America is devoid of singularity, excep- attitude in state-to-state relations; and (4) America will tionalism, or historic mission rather than a play a more restrained role on the international stage. country with unique resources, experiences, These tenets, however well-intentioned, will make Amer- and devotion to freedom. ica and the world far more insecure. Examining President • The Obama Doctrine, by minimizing Ameri- Obama’s doctrinal statements and actions more closely can sovereignty and self-reliance, amounts to demonstrates why reasserting American leadership on a radical departure from the approach taken behalf of liberty would be the wiser course. by America’s previous Presidents. This paper, in its entirety, can be found at: http://report.heritage.org/bg2457 Produced by the Douglas and Sarah Allison American Presidents become known for “signa- Center for Foreign Policy Studies ture” statements and responses to foreign policy and of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis national security challenges. Ronald Reagan is known Institute for International Studies for his efforts to defeat Communism and advance Published by The Heritage Foundation “peace through strength.” Bill Clinton is remembered 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002–4999 (202) 546-4400 • heritage.org Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before Congress. No. 2457 September 1, 2010 for his argument that military interventions, such believe in American exceptionalism, but “just as I sus- as his humanitarian intervention in the former pect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism Yugoslavia, are justified “where our values and and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism.”2 our interests are at stake and where we can make a 1 Obama expanded this theme of America as difference.” “equal partner” in Cairo in June 2009: “Given our It is fashionable to describe presidential state- interdependence,” he said, “any world order that ments or responses to foreign policy challenges as elevates one nation or group of people over another “doctrine.” As Barack Obama’s second year in office will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, winds down, there are increasing references to an we must not be prisoners of it. Our problems must “Obama Doctrine,” including comparisons to what be dealt with through partnership; progress must it is not (the Bush Doctrine, for example). be shared.”3 Doctrines by themselves are not legally binding To demonstrate that he fully believes in what he declarations. Nor are they always ideas embraced as has proclaimed, he has laid out in his public state- such by the Presidents in whose names they are ments the tenets of his doctrine that will enable his declared. Rather, they are clearly expressed princi- Administration to remake America as one nation ples and policies, often deduced by consensus, among many, with no singular claim either to which set the tone for how each Administration responsibility or exceptionalism: intends to act on the world stage. Doctrines clarify 1. America will ratify more treaties and turn to how a President views America’s role in the world international organizations more often to deal and his strategy for relations with other nations. with global crises and security concerns like During Obama’s first year in office, no widely re- nuclear weapons, often before turning to our peated description of an Obama Doctrine emerged. traditional friends and allies; One reason may be that for much of that time, 2. America will emphasize diplomacy and “soft domestic policy battles took center stage. But since power” instruments such as summits and for- pushing his health care bill through Congress and eign aid to promote its aims and downplay mil- successfully taking on Wall Street, the President has itary might; turned more of his attention to international issues, and based on a number of statements he has made 3. America will adopt a more humble attitude in and documents he has issued, it is possible to de- state-to-state relations; and scribe the set of ideas and policies—in line with the 4. America will play a more restrained role on the customs described here—that make up his doctrine. international stage. President Obama may have coined the phrase These tenets may be well-intentioned, ostensibly that best characterizes this doctrine in a speech in to improve America’s standing in the world, but Trinidad and Tobago in April 2009. He said that they will make America and the world far more America would reach out to other countries as “an insecure. Examining President Obama’s doctrinal equal partner” rather than as the “exceptional” nation statements and actions more closely demonstrates that many before him had embraced. During his why reasserting American leadership on behalf of first meeting with the Group of 20 economies in liberty would be the wiser course. Europe, Obama went further, saying that he does 1. “Clinton’s Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention, 29 August 1996: Foreign Policy Excerpts,” at http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/elect96/bc960829.htm (August 6, 2010). 2. Real Clear Politics, “Obama’s Press Conference in Strasbourg,” April 4, 2009, at http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/ 2009/04/obamas_press_conference_in_str.html (July 30, 2010). 3. “Text: Obama’s Speech in Cairo,” The New York Times, June 4, 2009, at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/politics/ 04obama.text.html (July 30, 2010). page 2 No. 2457 September 1, 2010 The Precedents of American that therefore has responsibilities beyond those of Exceptionalism other countries. The idea that the United States is an “excep- Particularly good examples are the policies of tional” nation has been a part of the American story George Washington, James Monroe, Harry Truman, ever since the country’s founding. In his first inau- and Ronald Reagan in response to the challenges gural address, President George Washington said they faced. that the “preservation of the sacred fire of liberty George Washington. Among the Founding and the destiny of the republican model of govern- Fathers, George Washington proved himself adept ment are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as at safeguarding the young nation’s interests. In his finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the 4 first State of the Union address, he advised Congress hands of the American people.” This form of gov- to consider as one of its highest priorities the matter ernment, based on the principles of liberty and gov- of providing for the common defense: “To be pre- ernment of and by the people, had not been tried, pared for war,” Washington said, “is one of the most and its future depended on every generation of effectual means of preserving peace.” If Congress Americans protecting and preserving it. intended to ensure the young country’s survival, it _________________________________________ must take steps to strengthen and protect it, partic- America’s more memorable Presidents shared ularly by establishing a national defense system. a common perspective: that the U.S. is truly While that statement could be called Washing- a remarkable country that therefore has ton’s doctrine, it is not what some historians cite. responsibilities beyond those of other countries. Rather, they refer to a statement he made at the very ____________________________________________ end of his presidency in his Farewell Address. The challenges Washington faced in keeping friendly Since then, most Presidents in some fashion or relations with other countries so as not to take sides another have acknowledged that America plays a in their wars led him to warn his countrymen “to special role in history. It is a view deeply ingrained steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion in the American conscience that has been mani- of the foreign world.”5 This statement was not iso- fested in the foreign policies of America’s Presidents lationist, as some today portray it.