Reviewing criticism of the Obama administration’s foreign policy, Daniel Drezner asks, “is it true that PresidentObama has no grand strategy? And even if it were, would that be such a disaster?” He continues:“Grand strategies are not nearly as important as grand strategists like to think, because countries tend to be judgedby their actions, not their words. What really matters for great po
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Reviewing criticism of the Obama administration’s foreign policy, Daniel Drezner asks, “is it true that President
Obama has no grand strategy? And even if it were, would that be such a disaster?” He continues:
“Grand strategies are not nearly as important as grand strategists like to think, because countries tend to be judged
by their actions, not their words. What really matters for great powers is power – national economic and military
strength – and that speaks loudly and clearly by itself.”
1.
What perspective is Drezner using in this passage? How can you tell?
2.
How does Drezner define power? How is this different from the way analysts who write from other perspectives might define
power?
However, Drezner argues,
“In times of deep uncertainty, a strategy can be important as a signaling device. In these moments, such as the
present, a clearly articulated strategy matched by consistent actions is useful because it can drive home messages
about a country’s intentions to domestic and foreign audiences. ... a well-articulated grand strategy can offer an
interpretive framework that tells everybody, including foreign policy officials themselves, how to understand the
administration’s behavior.”
3.
Why might intentions, as well as power, be important to great powers?
4.
Which perspective would most likely emphasize signaling or communicating policy intentions? Are intentions important for other
perspectives too?
Drezner examines how American grand strategy changed throughout American history. He concludes that
“History suggests ... that grand strategies do not alter the trajectory of great-power politics all that much. Consider
the United States. Even radically imperfect strategies have not fundamentally affected its rise and fall.”
5.
What relationship does the changing distribution of power have to any single state’s grand strategy? Does grand strategy influence the distribution of power, or does the distribution of power change on its own?
Drezner titles one of the sections of his essay, “When Ideas Matter.” He answers,
“There are moments when grand strategies really do count: during times of great uncertainty in international affairs.
Ideas matter most when actors are operating in uncharted waters. [One such event] is a power
6.
According to Drezner, do ideas matter all the time? When do ideas matter most?
7.
What sort of ideas do you think might drive grand strategy? What ideas drive the grand strategy of the United States and a “rising challenger” to American hegemony, like China?
However, Drezner argues that
“The most significant challenge to Obama’s grand strategy is likely to emerge at home rather than abroad. Viable
grand strategies need to rest on a well-spring of domestic support. The biggest problem with Obama’s new grand
strategy is its troublesome domestic politics.”
8.
According to this statement, factors at which level of analysis influence the grand strategy chosen by an administration? How can
you tell?
9/11
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