Truman's Containment Theory Essay

Truman’s containment policy is for the sole purpose of offering economic, military, and political assistance to other liberal or democratic states. Keywords, “assistance to other liberal or democratic states”. Based Owen’s liberal peace theory, it is significant that if there is foreign involvement, that both states are liberal or democratic. Without this, it leads to chaos. Truman 's Doctrine proves this because most countries that the U.S. is allied with complies with or respects liberalism as stated before, with Greece and Turkey being a prime example. Although, when two states are not on the same page politically, this can be damaging to their relationship. Owen states that when both states are liberal this is beneficial to the relationship because the states have have established a “pacific and trustworthy” relationship, which can ultimately strengthen one another. But, when a state is illiberal, in this case, like the Iran example given, the state can be belligerent and may be corruptive to the liberal state. This is due to the fact both states do not agree on the same ideals and lifestyles. While Owen’s theory does prove the accommodation of U.S. foreign policy, it also showcases how U.S. foreign policy can be belligerent to other states. However, the U.S. is not intentionally belligerent to other states, this only occurs when a difference in ideals is presented and poses as a threat. Though U.S. foreign policy mainly accommodates other states, as long as both share liberal ideals. Essentially, Owen’s liberal peace theory does capture the objectives of the Truman Doctrine. Ultimately, The argument Owen makes throughout his liberal peace theory is based on the ideals of liberalism

The Truman Doctrine more so accommodates other countries through U.S foreign policy based on Owen’s liberal peace theory. The doctrine