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Clinton's Foreign Policy
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To the Editor:
Joshua Muravchik [“Clintonism Abroad,” February] deplores President Clinton’s irresolution in matters of foreign policy, citing Bosnia, China, and North Korea as cases in point. True enough, but what Mr. Muravchik scants, in my view, is that the American people at present want to take as few risks abroad as possible (and preferably none) unless they perceive a direct threat to American interests. That is why there has never been any real support for active U.S. involvement in Bosnia, for example, whether under U.S. or UN auspices. Also witness Somalia, where a cluster of casualties brought Bob Dole and other Republicans rushing to the floor to denounce the UN and demand a pull-out. . . .
Whatever the merits or demerits of the administration’s policy, it has to work within the context of what I believe one is justified to call a quasi-isolationist climate. These circumstances should be given due weight in any assessment of its actions.
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