The world’s most powerful military and largest economy gives the United States outsized influence, which means that decisions made in Washington can have long-lasting impacts on people thousands of miles away. That’s why it is crucial for Americans to understand the issues and challenges that shape foreign policy.
There are many approaches to foreign policy, but the most common is called “soft power.” Soft power refers to the ability of a country to influence other countries and international organizations through diplomacy, aid, and development.
Hard power, by contrast, is the use of military force and economic sanctions to assert a state’s interests and values on the global stage. These tactics can be viewed as the opposite of soft power and often lead to conflict and even war.
Despite popular perception, the two approaches are not mutually exclusive. For example, isolationism opposes commitments to other countries including treaties and trade agreements but could be balanced with neutrality (a status which, famously, Switzerland maintains).
Today’s challenges include the need for a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine; the urgent need to prevent further regional escalation on Iran’s nuclear ambitions; and the need to promote democracy and human rights around the world. But America’s leadership is being undermined by the dismantling of a critical tool for addressing global humanitarian crises, as well as by an anti-Americanism that empowers extremists and threatens the security and prosperity of billions worldwide—and millions of American citizens here at home.