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U.S. Foreign Policy: Blurred and Drifting Dangerously

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Posted: November 21st, 2019

By John McLaughlin

John McLaughlin is the Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).  He served as both Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. McLaughlin served as a U.S. Army Officer in the 1960s, with service in Vietnam.

OPINION — American foreign policy has faded into a confusing and dangerous blur as a result of mismanagement, flip-flopping objectives, political turmoil in Washington and an understaffed and demoralized State Department. On issue after issue, it is impossible to discern a coherent strategy or an achievable goal. This is not just embarrassing and tragic for the United States but also harmful for the world because what the U.S. does — whether it succeeds or fails — affects everyone else.

To be fair, there is always some part of U.S. foreign policy that is troubled or falling short of its objective — even in the best of times. What is unique today is that nearly everything seems stalled, failing or out of focus. I cannot recall a comparable set of circumstances quite like this in more than 40 years of professional involvement with national security.

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