December 21, 2014

With Cuba move, Obama doubles down on strategy of engagement

Featuring: Julianne Smith

Source: Los Angeles Times

Journalist: Paul Richter

President Obama came to office in 2009 with a grand plan to reshape U.S. foreign relations through outreach to hostile governments.

In his first term, his overtures to Iran, Russia, Syria, North Korea and others produced limited payoff.

But with his decision to restore diplomatic ties to Cuba, Obama has doubled down on "engagement" and his belief that by opening up to adversaries, rather than isolating them, the United States can sweep away obstacles from years of conflict and move authoritarian states toward Western-style freedoms.

Read the full article in The Los Angeles Times.

Author

  • Julianne Smith

    Former Adjunct Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Program

    Julianne (“Julie”) Smith is a contributing editor to Foreign Policy, where she coedits “Shadow Government.” She is also a senior advisor at WestExec Advisors, an adjunct senio...