Was George W. Bush the true heir of Woodrow Wilson, the architect of
liberal internationalism? Was the Iraq War a result of liberal ideas
about America's right to promote democracy abroad? In this timely book,
four distinguished scholars of American foreign policy discuss the
relationship between the ideals of Woodrow Wilson and those of George W.
Bush. The Crisis of American Foreign Policy exposes the challenges
resulting from Bush's foreign policy and ponders America's place in the
international arena.
Led by John Ikenberry, one of today's foremost foreign policy thinkers,
this provocative collection examines the traditions of liberal
internationalism that have dominated American foreign policy since the
end of World War II. Tony Smith argues that Bush and the
neoconservatives followed Wilson in their commitment to promoting
democracy abroad. Thomas Knock and Anne-Marie Slaughter disagree and
contend that Wilson focused on the building of a collaborative and
rule-centered world order, an idea the Bush administration actively
resisted. The authors ask if the United States is still capable of
leading a cooperative effort to handle the pressing issues of the new
century, or if the country will have to go it alone, pursuing policies
without regard to the interests of other governments.
Addressing current events in the context of historical policies, this
book considers America's position on the global stage and what future
directions might be possible for the nation in the post-Bush era.
