The Wall Street Journal has an excerpt adapted from his forthcoming book World Order, out September 9. In it Kissinger suggests the U.S. needs to determine its answers to several key foreign policy questions:
What do we seek to prevent, no matter how it happens, and if necessary alone?In other words, Dr. K believes we need an actual foreign policy, not an ad hoc, figure-it-out-as-we-go-along semi-random set of stumbling steps. He has always tried to go beyond the exigencies of the day to see the underlying framework.
What do we seek to achieve, even if not supported by any multilateral effort?
What do we seek to achieve, or prevent, only if supported by an alliance?
What should we not engage in, even if urged on by a multilateral group or an alliance?
What is the nature of the values that we seek to advance?
And how much does the application of these values depend on circumstance?
Unfortunately, there is not agreement on the above questions among the current and likely future leaders of our two major parties, and their differences are not especially partisan. For example, you can be sure Mitt Romney and Rand Paul do not agree on the answers to those questions. Nor, for that matter, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
