Red Line

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

By (author) P. J. Crowley

Publication date:

15 February 2017

Length of book:

360 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442255708

Over the past quarter century, four consecutive American presidents—two Democrat, two Republican—have 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 America’s 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 Syndrome—the disconnect between politics, policy, strategy, and narrative—that has hampered America’s foreign policy in the Middle East and hotspots throughout the world. In order to maintain America’s global leadership role, Crowley argues that the next president must realign American’s national security politics, policies, strategies, and narrative for the long term.

Foreword
Introduction Red Lines and Political Boundaries
1 Reasonable Assurance
2 War Against Al Qaeda
3 Central Front
4 Extended Hand
5 Wrong Side of History
6 Leading from Behind
7 All Wars End
8 The Pivot
9 Someone Else’s Civil War
10 Reset
11 A Good Deal
12 Good Enough
13 War Within Islam
14 No Boots on the Ground
15 Incredible Nation
16 A Foreign Policy within the Political Lines
Acknowledgments
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the Author

"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 America’s values demand and the influence America’s power permits is essential for American leadership."