John Quincy Adams Washington Playbook

American foreign policy has drastically changed throughout history. In 1797, when George Washington gave his farewell address, one of his four major points was to stay out of foreign affairs. Later on during John Quincy Adams’ presidency, the US was still avoiding foreign affairs. After that, US involvement increased during World War I and World War II. Then more recently, George W. Bush decided to send troops into Middle East to fight in the Iraq War and Afghanistan War. Ever since then, the US has established its identity of being over-involved internationally. Although Quincy Adams warned the US about the dangers of being over-involved in foreign affairs, America has neglected his advice and become the world’s police. In John Quincy Adams’

Again, this playbook is the way it is partly due to the actions of George Bush in the Middle East. Obama argues, “Where America is directly threatened, the playbook works. But the playbook can also be a trap that can lead to bad decisions. In the midst of an international challenge like Syria, you get judged harshly if you don’t follow the playbook, even if there are good reasons why it does not apply.” Obama mentioned the ongoing civil war in Syria and how the “Washington Playbook” applies there. He argues that the US is not directly threatened by the war in Syria and therefore, we should stay out as long as it stays that way. According to Obama, if America was to get involved in Syria, it could be the Bush scenario in the Middle East all over again. Obama does not want to be known like Bush is as the “idiot that sent troops into the Middle East.” The last sentence sums up the difference in foreign policy between Obama and Bush, “George W. Bush was also a gambler, not a bluffer. He will be remembered harshly for the things he did in the Middle East. Barack Obama is gambling that he will be judged well for the things he didn’t