Red Line: American Foreign Policy in a Time of Fractured Politics and Failing States

(Hardback)

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Over the past quarter century, four consecutive American presidentstwo Democrat, two Republicanhave spent more time, diplomatic capital, and military resources on Iraq than any other country in the world. Much as the Vietnam syndrome cast a long shadow over American security policy in the decades after the end of the Vietnam War, Iraq provides the commanding narrative for this generation of American leaders. In this book, former Deputy Secretary of State P. J. Crowley, one of Americas most insightful national security commentators, unpacks the legacy of American triumphs and failures in Iraq . He argues that presidents have fallen victim to the Iraq Syndromethe disconnect between politics, policy, strategy, and narrativethat has hampered Americas foreign policy in the Middle East and hotspots throughout the world. In order to maintain Americas global leadership role, Crowley argues that the next president must realign Americans national security politics, policies, strategies, and narrative for the long term.

Reviews

"A fascinating inside account of what will be the central challenge to U.S. policy in the 21st century: understanding and adjusting to the limits of American power in an increasingly turbulent world. Crowley convincingly shows that finding a better balance between the role Americas values demand and the influence Americas power permits is essential for American leadership." -- Trita Parsi, 2010 recipient of the Grawemeyer Award for Improving World Order and author of Losing an Enemy - Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy
A must read examination of contemporary American foreign policy. This book takes you inside how foreign policy is made by a seasoned practitioner who has been there." -- Bruce Riedel, Director of the Brookings Intelligence Project
"Defining Americas role in the world is all too often reduced to slogans. Is the United States, in Madeleine Albrights words, the indispensable nation In this provocative and well-written book, P.J.Crowley answers this question. By analyzing the foreign policies of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and where they were right and wrong, he concludes that we do have a special role to play in the world but we should temper our self-image of being indispensable. Even those who may question his conclusion will learn much from reading this very thoughtful book." -- Dennis Ross, Distinguished Fellow, The Washington Institute and Author of Doomed to Succeed
Crowleys 'sweeping, densely packed account of American-centric diplomacy and warfare could have served as a defense of the motivations and actions of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Refreshingly, the author mostly puts his partisan loyalties aside as he informs readers, in clear prose, how the government has been trying to find a balance between the U.S. as a global police officer and as a more modest presence.' * Kirkus *

Author Bio

P. J. Crowley, Assistant Secretary of State and Spokesman for the U.S. Department of State under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, appears frequently on national and global television networks. His opinion pieces have been published in a wide range of print and on-line outlets, including The Washington Post, the Guardian, and the BBC. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Al Jazeera America. He resides in Washington, DC.