The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the “search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable.
Abe, Shinzo, 12
Adams, John Quincy, 191
Afghanistan, 25, 39, 52
Afghanistan War, 38, 39, 42, 54–55, 67–68
Africa, Indispensable America strategy for, 147
Aidid, Mohammed Farrah, 31
American exceptionalism
Independent America and, 64, 73, 198, 202
Indispensable America and, 126–127
Moneyball America and, 119–121, 197–198
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 76, 77
Annan, Kofi, 95
anti-Americanism, 13, 14, 34, 63–64
Arab Spring, 14–15, 42, 176
Arctic, Indispensable America strategy for, 147
Assad, Bashar Al-, 42–43, 61, 108, 110, 185–186
banking, 19–20, 174
Beirut barracks bombing (1983), 98–99
Brazil, bus-fare protests, 15
Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), 20
BRICS bank, 19–20
Bush, George H. W.
and Iraq, 91–96, 110
and NATO, 32, 33
on “new world order,” 28–29
“Operation Provide Relief” (Somalia), 31
Bush, George W.
on axis of evil, 55
foreign policy overview, 36–40
and Iraq, 91–96
lowering taxes and the war on terrorism, 57
Canada, 150
Chávez, Hugo, 64
Cheney, Dick, 37
China
aging population of, 23
banking, 20
Bush (G. W.) and, 39
Clinton and, 34–35
as greatest opportunity and greatest threat, 196–197
importance of U.S. relationship to, 156–157
Independent America and, 200–201
Indispensable America strategy for, 141–143
and international leadership, 16–17
Moneyball America on U.S. economic and security interests in, 101–102
Obama and, 41
Question Mark America on, 179–180
risks created by changes in, 10–12
shale gas deposits in, 114
and state capitalism, 115–116
trade volume of, 117
and U.S., mutual economic vulnerability, 131–132
Clinton, Bill (Clinton administration)
and China, 34–35
domestic policies of, 29–30
and economic prosperity, 35–36
foreign policy overview, 29–36
Somalia, 30–32
Clinton, Hillary, 40–41, 115, 168
Cold War, 27–28, 54, 109, 130, 158
Cole, USS, 32
Costs of War Project (Brown University), 94
Cuban missile crisis, 97
debt, 49–50, 130, 136–137
democracy promotion
as America’s ultimate purpose, 128
arguments for, 153–154
difficulties and criticisms of, 60–65, 154
Middle East strategy for, 142–143
morality of, 154–155
process of, 151, 155–156
demographics, aging populations, 23
domino theory, 166
Donilon, Thomas, 21, 23
drone strikes, 56–57, 105–106
East Asia
Indispensable America strategy for, 140–142
Moneyball America on U.S. economic and security interests in, 101–102
Obama and, 40–41
Question Mark America on choices that need to be made, 179–182
Ebola outbreak (2014–15), 133
economic statecraft, 115
economy. See global economy; U.S. domestic economy
education, 23, 24, 77–78, 130, 144
Egypt, 176, 182–184
Eisenhower, Dwight, 48–50, 54, 56, 68, 80, 158
energy production
Indispensable America on, 139–140, 142–143
Moneyball America on, 112–114
Russian, 171–174
U.S. dependence on foreign production, 85–87
U.S. surge in, 22–23
Eurasia/Eurasian Union, 144–145, 171
Europe/European Union (EU)
aging population of, 23
conflicts with U.S., 13–14, 174–175
and Russia, 102–103, 145–146
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), 115–116, 146, 149, 174
exceptionalism. See American exceptionalism
fast track (Trade Promotion Authority), 70–71
foreign direct investment (FDI), 117
foreign policy. See U.S. foreign policy
France, 53. See also Europe/European Union (EU)
freedom, 65–68, 71–73, 128–129
Friedman, Thomas L., 76
G7 countries, 19
gap between rich and poor, 68, 69
Germany. See also Europe/European Union (EU)
and NATO, 60
U.S. troops stationed in, 61, 166–167, 202
global economy, 10–11, 15, 26, 87, 131–132, 148–149, 156–157
global leadership, 1, 9–10, 16–17, 19, 187–188. See also Indispensable America
global war on terror, 37
Gorbachev, Mikhail, 27, 33, 109
Great Britain, 53–54, 59, 199. See also Europe/European Union (EU)
Great Recession (2008), 9–10
Harvard University study, 67–68
health crises, 133–134
Hussein, Saddam, 54, 91, 110
immigration, 23, 75
incoherent America, 27–45
Barack Obama and, 40–44
Bill Clinton and, 29–36
end of the Cold War and, 27–29
George W. Bush and, 36–40
Independent America policies, 47–84
advantages of, 197–198
caring for veterans, 78–79
education, 77–78
focusing on democracy at home, 73–74
leading by example, 201–202
nation-building, 60–61
promotion of democracy, 61–65
protecting the homeland, 74–75
rebuilding the public infrastructure, 76–77
on unacceptable cost of wars, 52–60
on U.S. as policeman of the world, 49–52
India, 10, 15, 16–17, 19, 181
Indispensable America policies, 125–162
China, 156–157
debt, 136–137
defined, 125–129
democracy promotion, 152–156
domestic economy, 129–131
energy as weapon, 139–140
global economy, 130–131
global interdependence, 131–136
importance of long-term thinking, 137–138
International Monetary Fund (IMF), 148–149
military strength, 138–139
poverty, 148
promoting American values, 150–152
regional strategies, 140–147
shortcomings of, 192–195
trade agreements, 149
Indonesia, 182
infrastructure problems, 15, 76–77, 201
intelligence agencies, 67
International Criminal Court, 63
International Energy Agency, 87
international leadership. See global leadership
International Monetary Fund (IMF), 148–149
Iran. See also Middle East
and “axis of evil,” 55
and Beirut bombing, 98–99
Saudi Arabia vs., 103–104, 143, 175
Strait of Hormuz, 85–87
Iraq, 15, 37, 55, 176–177. See also Middle East
Iraq War, 1st, 54, 91–96, 110
Iraq War, 2nd, 38, 39, 55, 67–68, 91–96
ISIS (Islamic State), 15, 104
Islamic extremism and political radicalization, 14–15, 32, 104–105, 175–176, 177. See also al-Qaeda
isolationism, 73, 88, 90, 104, 108, 139, 202
Israel-Palestine conflict, 43
Jacobs, Jack, 79
Japan. See also East Asia
aging population of, 23
conflicts with China, 12
and international leadership, 16
LNG imports, 113–114
U.S. commitment to security of, 61, 166–167, 180, 202
World War II, 53
Kennedy, John F., 96
Kenya, U.S. embassy attack, 32
Kerry, John, 183
Korean War, 119
Laden, Osama bin, 52
Latin America, 146–147
leadership. See global leadership
Lewis, Michael, 89
Libya, 57–58, 107–108, 167
LNG (liquefied natural gas), 113
MacArthur, Douglas, 119
Madison, James, 66
Mandelbaum, Michael, 76
Marshall Plan, 39, 118–119, 150–151
Medicare, 130
Merkel, Angela, 14
Mexico and NAFTA, 69, 70
Middle East
Arab Spring, 14–15
Independent America and, 200
Indispensable America strategy for, 142–143
Moneyball approach to, 103–104
Question Mark America, foreign policy choices that need to be made, 175–179
military draft, 56–57
military spending
Independent America on, 47–50, 56–58, 74–75
Moneyball America on, 100
post-Cold War reductions, 30
Mogadishu, battle of, 31
Moneyball America policies, 85–124
advantages and shortcomings of, 195–196
and the courage to look weak, 96–99
defined, 88–89
importance of flexibility, 109–110
importance of negotiating with enemies, 108–109
managing costs, 100–104
and NATO, 106–108
Powell doctrine, 89–96
relying on friends/partners, 106–108
safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz, 85–87
terrorism, 104–105
trade, 114–119
use of sanctions, 110–112
on using drones, 105–106
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (Lewis), 89
Morsi, Mohamed, 176, 183
Mubarak, Hosni, 182–183
Muslim Brotherhood, 183
Muslim extremism. See Islamic extremism
nation-building, 36, 39, 60–61
NATO
Indispensable America on, 146, 152
and Iraq Wars, 95–96
Moneyball approach to purpose of, 106–108
post-Cold War expansion, 12, 32–34
post-Cold War mission for, 58–60
and response to Russian aggression, 173
negotiating with enemies, 108–109
“new world order,” 28–29
New York Times, 169
Nixon, Richard, 108
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 68–70
North Korea, 55, 111, 141, 180–181
nuclear weapons, 55, 132–133, 186
Obama, Barack (Obama administration)
“don’t do stupid stuff” foreign policy, 168–169
and Egypt, 182–183
expansion of U.S. intelligence community, 55–56
foreign policy overview, 40–44
and Libya, 167
pivot to Asia policy, 40–41, 43, 102, 164
refusal to define a coherent foreign policy, 17–18, 163–165
and Russia, 172–173
and Syria, 110, 185–186
and trade, 115
and Trade Promotion Authority (fast track), 70–71
and Ukraine, 184
West Point speech (2009), 163
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 78
Pakistan, 52, 57, 105–106, 181, 186–187
Pew Research Center, 64–65
polls, 20, 38, 95
Philippines, 181–182
pivot to Asia policy, 40–41, 43, 102, 164
poverty, 148, 149, 159
Powell, Colin, 90, 96
Powell doctrine, 89–96, 135–36
power, defined, 18
presidential power, 65–66, 70–71
privacy, 71–73
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), 78
Public Citizen report, 68–69, 70
public health crises, 133–134
Putin, Vladimir, 13, 33, 34, 96–97, 111, 145, 172
Qaddafi, Muammar, 57–58, 107–108, 167
Qaeda, al-, 32, 177
Question Mark America, 163–189
benefits and drawbacks of an ambiguous and improvised policy, 165–170
democratic-uprising scenarios, 182–184
foreign policy choices arising from Russia’s decline, 171–174
foreign policy choices arising from U.S.-European conflict and competition, 174–175
Middle East foreign policy choices, 175–179
nuclear and chemical weapons scenarios, 185–187
Obama’s refusal to define a foreign policy, 17–18, 163–165
recent foreign policy mistakes and the resulting choices, 182–187
response-to-aggression scenarios, 184–185
Reagan, Ronald, 98–99, 108
“Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, A” (American Society of Civil Engineers [ASCE]), 76
Rice, Susan, 168–169
Roosevelt, Theodore, 188
Rosecrance, Richard, 117
Russia
and Eurasian Union, 144–145
LNG exports, 113
Moneyball approach to, 102–103
and NATO expansion, 12, 32–34, 152
reliance on oil and gas production, 171–174
and Ukraine, 13, 43, 58–59, 111–112, 200
sanctions, 110–112, 139–140
Saudi Arabia, 103–104, 108–109, 143, 175
Scowcroft, Brent, 29, 93
September 11, 2001 attacks, 37, 72
Shaw, George Bernard, 120, 125
Social Security, 130
Somalia, 30–32
South Korea, 180
Soviet Union, 144–145
spying/espionage, 14, 55–56, 63, 66–68
Strait of Hormuz, 85–87
Syria, 42–43, 61, 108, 110, 185–186
Tanzania, U.S. embassy attack, 32
terrorism
and American withdrawals from nation-building, 61
Beirut barracks bombing (1983), 98–99
Bush’s global war on, 37
Indispensable America approach to, 133, 143, 144
Moneyball approach, 104–105
and radicalization of Islamist politics, 176–179
September 11, 2001 attacks, 37, 72
threat of, and loss of liberty, 71–73
U.S. embassy attacks (Kenya and Tanzania), 32–34
That Used to Be Us (Friedman, Mandelbaum), 76
trade
Moneyball approach to, 114–119
NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), 68–70
skepticism about, 203
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), 115–116, 146, 149, 174
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), 70–71, 113–114, 115–117, 140, 149
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), 69
Trade Promotion Authority (fast track), 70–71
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), 115–116, 146, 149, 174
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), 70–71, 113–114, 115–117, 140, 149
Truman, Harry, 118, 119, 158
Turkey, 2013 demonstrations, 15
Ukraine, 13, 43, 58–59, 96–97, 103, 111–112, 145–146, 173, 200
United Nations
on Iraq Wars, 96
U.S.-Canada border, 150
U.S. Congress and declaration of war, 65–66
U.S. Constitution, separation of powers, 65–66, 70–71, 199
U.S. domestic economy, 21–24, 29–30, 35–36, 129–131
U.S. embassy attacks (Kenya and Tanzania), 32–34
U.S. foreign policy. See also incoherent America; Independent America; Indispensable America; Moneyball America; Question Mark America; specific presidents
Americans’ lack of support for superpower foreign policies, 20–21, 25, 59–60, 199
challenges facing America’s next president, 10–18
decline of, 18–21
overview of options, 24–26
and U.S. image abroad, 38–39
U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), 13
U.S. Navy, 85–87, 100
Venezuela, 64
Veterans Administration, 79
Vietnam War, 56, 166, 199–200
war
caring for veterans, 78–79
costs of, 54–55, 67–68
Eisenhower on, 47–50
and fears of looking weak, 96–99
hidden costs of, 56–58
Indispensable America on, 135–136
as last resort, 54
presidential power and, 65–66
and U.S. superpower status, 52–56
Weinberger, Caspar, 90, 98
doctrine, 98–99
Wilson, Woodrow, 62
Wolfowitz, Paul, 94
World Bank, 20
World Trade Organization (WTO), 34, 156–157
World Transformed, A (Bush, Scowcroft), 29
World War I, 53
World War II, 53
Xi Jinping, 11
Yeltsin, Boris, 33