I think it's unsurprising that foreign policy is "back" as an issue in domestic US politics (given Israeli/Palestinian conflict has surged). My controversial opinion is that usually the further...
I think it's unsurprising that foreign policy is "back" as an issue in domestic US politics (given Israeli/Palestinian conflict has surged). My controversial opinion is that usually the further away the US public is from a foreign policy outcome the better. The "experts" often have very bad intentions but they are at least competent actors who are more aware of the facts on the ground than voters.
About competence: IME on specific topics US diplomats tend to have passable knowledge, which is to say they roughly understand what is going on, but not really great knowledge. For example in Pakistan they generally don't talk to local elites, and interact with people. A friend who did aid work in Afghanistan complained quite bitterly that managers of US-backed aid programs (and the US government) would refuse to step outside the green zone which meant they were unable to track their programs, much less identify and fight corruption.
Foreign policy doesn’t win elections, but it does lose them. The successes of foreign policy are usually invisible to less wonk-ish voters, but the failures are extremely visible. Whether I/P is a...
Foreign policy doesn’t win elections, but it does lose them. The successes of foreign policy are usually invisible to less wonk-ish voters, but the failures are extremely visible. Whether I/P is a failure come November remains to be seen. If Biden can “get something done” by early-mid summer (when people’s opinions begin to solidify), I don’t think it will be a problem for him.
I think it's unsurprising that foreign policy is "back" as an issue in domestic US politics (given Israeli/Palestinian conflict has surged). My controversial opinion is that usually the further away the US public is from a foreign policy outcome the better. The "experts" often have very bad intentions but they are at least competent actors who are more aware of the facts on the ground than voters.
About competence: IME on specific topics US diplomats tend to have passable knowledge, which is to say they roughly understand what is going on, but not really great knowledge. For example in Pakistan they generally don't talk to local elites, and interact with people. A friend who did aid work in Afghanistan complained quite bitterly that managers of US-backed aid programs (and the US government) would refuse to step outside the green zone which meant they were unable to track their programs, much less identify and fight corruption.
Foreign policy doesn’t win elections, but it does lose them. The successes of foreign policy are usually invisible to less wonk-ish voters, but the failures are extremely visible. Whether I/P is a failure come November remains to be seen. If Biden can “get something done” by early-mid summer (when people’s opinions begin to solidify), I don’t think it will be a problem for him.
Mirror, for those hit by the paywall:
https://archive.is/kfbjJ