Bush and Grand Strategy

Thomas P.M. Barnett addresses the failure of Bushian grand strategy. Essential takeaway:

George Bush likes being compared to Harry Truman. Both presidents were challenged by history to define a long struggle and America's purpose in pursuing it, and both became awfully unpopular as a result. But here's where history does not repeat itself: Truman successfully institutionalized his grand strategy internationally. Bush consistently cites America's exceptionalism to justify his own ... Not surprisingly, no new "breakthrough" international organizations or treaties or alliances have arisen from this ongoing struggle, save for the International Criminal Court long ignored by this administration. That's too bad, because history indeed handed George Bush the same opportunity Harry Truman received: to reshape the global security landscape for the struggle ahead.

As Barnett points out, we find ourselves 52 months removed from 9 / 11 with no discernible, coherent foreign policy mission. And as I have written before, the question as to America's role in the world remains unanswered.