Drivers of US Foreign Policy

The drivers of US foreign policy response paper discusses the impact of Woodrow Wilson's idealism on American foreign policy. It highlights how Wilsonian principles emphasized self-determination, democracy, and capitalism, leading to a shift from isolationism to interventionism. The paper explores how these principles have continued to influence American foreign policy under various presidents, including Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Bush, and Obama, with the Middle East being a key target for national interest.

Drivers of U.S. Foreign Policy Response Paper
Lesson Number: 4100A (AY-18)
05 September 2017
Drivers of U.S. Foreign Policy Response Paper
Major: Arafa Khater
CG7
Security Studies / National Security Affairs and the International System
Dr: James Joyner
LtCol: Mattew Good
Command and Staff College
Marine Corps University
Quantico, Virginia

It is true to justify that, “It is above all to the drumbeat of Wilsonian idealism that
American foreign policy has marched since his watershed presidency, and continues to march to
this day.” The president left the legacy behind which is continuing with the expansion of
America’s foreign policy Woodrow Wilson had taken the initiation to give America another
shape. America must focus on the intervention policy and must try to come out from the shell of
isolation. Wilson also focused on reframing the shape of the Democratic Party into a political
party. Under his regime, America saw a change in the phase of foreign policy and with time, it
gained momentum, which was exercised by the other presidents of America. .
As stated by Henry Kissinger, according to Wilson, America was not justified on the
ground of the need to sustain the balance of power, but the main driving force behind the
principles of Wilson is to spread its principles all over the world. Despite his failure to convince
his fellow citizens to pursue the democratization in the society, his ideas still carry significance
under the regimes of the presidents of USA. Since the start of the Cold War, with the emergence
of globalization and under the reign of different presidents, the essence of the legacy of
Woodrow Wilson’s the administration of the United States of America. Your argument and
supporting factors are fairly clear here—see my comments on revising the sentence structure.
In order to understand the importance of the quotation, it is important to talk about the
provisions of Wilsonian idealism, which focuses on emphasizing on the self- determination of
peoples, advocating the spread of democracy and capitalism, firm opposition to the isolationism,
and carrying the favor of intervention. Accordingly, in the Second World War, with the attack on
Pearl Harbor, America came out from the shell of isolationism and was determined
to spread its principles of capitalism all around the world in 1940’s1 However, this interest leads
to the growth of enmity against USSR in the Cold War era. America by the means of obligation
1 Starr, Harvey. Henry Kissinger: Perceptions of international politics. University Press of Kentucky, 2015

of spreading its principles started following the ideals of “Realism” against USSR’s policy2 This
further leads to the intervention policy through the implementation of Dollar Diplomacy.
Therefore, in this scenario as well, the ideologies of Wilson are being taken into consideration. In
the era of Cold War, in order to spread its ideals of capitalism, with the help of the forces of
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the country had intervened different countries and
established its supremacy. Middle East and other Western and Eastern European nations have
experienced the propagation of capitalism by the USA. By inculcating these principles of
Woodrow Wilson, the foreign policy of America became stronger in the year 1991 by defeating
USSR. America gained its strong foothold on the soil of Middle Eastern countries. Mainly, the
ideals of Wilson are to end a war with the war, America is determined to continue its legacy as
well in the Cold War through the inculcation of its ideology more than the balance of Power.
That is why Cold War is termed as at time “The battle of Ideology”. It has been clarity in the
Cold War that Wilsonian’s ideology has been utilized well under the presidentship of Richard
Nixon or Kennedy in 1960’s1
After the end of the Cold War, America still continued to defend its interest behind the
policy of the country’s national interest. Middle East for America has always been a target as the
base for national interest. Presidents such as Bill Clinton, Bush, and Obama have continued to
carry out the legacy of Wilson ideology under the umbrella of administration of USA. Under the
rule of Bill Clinton, providing the humanitarian aid to the different countries through the
policy of intervention and increasing its power of alliances with the other countries accordingly.
However, the relation with the Middle East continues through the process of intervention and
trying to control the Shia Shunni ideas.3 Under the administration of both Bush and Obama, the
2 Davis, Lynn Etheridge. The Cold War Begins: Soviet-American Conflict Over East Europe. Princeton University
Press, 2015.
3 Mead, Walter Russell. Special providence: American foreign policy and how it changed the world. Routledge,
2013

intervention policy and standing against isolation continued with the self- determination and
spreading its wings across other countries and controlling the administration of the Middle
Eastern countries I’m not seeing the connection back to your argument as clearly as I could here.
If you want, we can talk about how to focus paragraphs in our meeting tomorrow.
Wilsonian ideologies are being performed in the form of 14 principles which he expected
to lead to a peace and tranquil condition in America4 He believes in liberalism, however, his
ideas as realistic which talks about America’s intervention policy in terms of spreading its
principles more than concentrating on the balance of power. It is the combination of liberalism
4 Kissinger, Henry. World order. Penguin Books, 2015.
1
Bibliography
Davis, Lynn Etheridge. The Cold War Begins: Soviet-American Conflict Over East Europe.
Princeton University Press, 2015.
Kissinger, Henry. World order. Penguin Books, 2015.
Mead, Walter Russell. Special providence: American foreign policy and how it changed the
world. Routledge, 2013.
Starr, Harvey. Henry Kissinger: Perceptions of international politics. University Press of
Kentucky, 2015.

and realism that still being followed under the administration of United States of America. USA,
though it faced certain set -backs in its foreign policy, the world believes that country is a
superpower and this ideology is being carried out by the principles of Woodrow Wilson, which
initiated the change of foreign policy for America.