Barack Obama: Surrealist-in-Chief

For some time, American foreign policy has been dominated by two camps. The neoconservatives advocate an idealistic, assertive promotion of liberty, democracy and American interests, including through military means. They are opposed by the self-described “realists” who advocate a pragmatic, realpolitik approach, focusing on power and material considerations. The realists criticize the neocons for dreaming too big and overextending American power. The neocons criticize the realists for being amoral, disloyal to allies and Machiavellian. Both see the dangers facing America and the world with clear vision; they disagree in their approach to addressing those challenges. So, where on the spectrum does one place President Obama’s new foreign policy team? Nominees John Kerry as Secretary of State, Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary and John Brennan as CIA Director certainly aren’t Kristolesque neocons; but neither are they hard-nosed Kissingerian realists. Perhaps they are best described as “surrealists.”