when President Obama chose multilateral engagement as a foreign policy which past policy was, he essentially returning to?
To determine which foreign policy President Obama essentially returned to when he chose multilateral engagement, we need to understand the context and history of U.S. foreign policy.
A key aspect of multilateral engagement is the idea of working collaboratively with other countries through international organizations, alliances, and partnerships. This approach contrasts with a more unilateral or isolationist approach, where a country primarily acts on its own rather than seeking cooperation with others.
To identify the past policy that President Obama returned to with his multilateral approach, we should look for historical periods or presidential administrations that prioritized multilateral engagement. One such period is the post-World War II era, specifically the foreign policy approach known as "liberal internationalism" or "multilateralism."
Liberal internationalism rose to prominence after World War II and greatly influenced the foreign policies of several U.S. administrations, like those of Presidents Truman and Kennedy. This approach emphasized international cooperation, the establishment of international institutions like the United Nations, the promotion of democratic values, and the use of diplomacy to resolve conflicts.
Therefore, when President Obama chose multilateral engagement as a foreign policy, he essentially returned to the tradition of liberal internationalism, which prioritizes collaboration, diplomacy, and the participation in international institutions.
By examining the historical context and the principles underlying President Obama's approach, we can understand the continuity with past policies and the overall trajectory of U.S. foreign policy.