First published 2013
America chose retreat over engagement in the Muslim world, and Vali Nasr watched it happen from inside the State Department. The former advisor on Afghan and Pakistani affairs argues that the Obama administration squandered a historic chance to reshape foreign policy after 2009. Instead of bold leadership, the White House pursued the same flawed strategies that had already failed. Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke pushed for ambitious policies in South Asia and the Middle East, but the administration blocked their efforts. Four years and billions of dollars later, the results were dismal. Democracy and development stalled while anti-American sentiment grew across the region. Meanwhile, China and Russia expanded their influence in areas where America had long dominated. Nasr contends that fear of political backlash and terrorism drove these poor decisions, masking a deeper desire to abandon the complex challenges of Muslim nations. He draws on his diplomatic experience to show why this withdrawal damages American power and global stability.
Genres: international-relations, american, 21st-century, current-affairs, academic, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective, political-thriller
Setting: Afghanistan, Middle East, Muslim World, Pakistan, South Asia
Period: 2009, Obama Administration
320 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday