Current U.S. foreign policy in Afghanistan - Essay Example

U.S. Foreign Policy Introduction In simple terms foreign policy of a nation may be taken as the objectives that the government of a nation aims to achieve abroad, the values on which they are founded, and the measures employed to achieve these goals (Wittkopf & McCormick, 2004). Current U.S. Foreign Policy in Afghanistan The values and interests on which the U.S. foreign policy has based for more than the two centuries of its existence have been peace and prosperity, stability and security, and democracy and defence.

The objectives inherent in the foreign policy that the U.S. governments have sought to achieve throughout its history, according to Wittkopf, Jones and Kegley 2008, p. 29, are “freedom from the dictates of others, commercial advantage, and promotion of American ideas and ideals are among the persistent foreign policy goals tied to these values and interests”. There have been swings between isolationism and internationalism by the U.S. in pursuit of these objectives of the foreign policy (Wittkopf, Jones & Kegley 2008).

The 9/11 attack by elements of the Al-Qaeda, who had found a haven in the Taliban controlled Afghanistan resulted in America along with its allies overthrowing the Taliban, an example of the more internationalism posture in the current American foreign policy. However, this neither ended the presence of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, nor the Taliban, who withdrew to safe havens to conduct a war of terrorism against the elected Afghan government and the military forces of America and its allies (Armitage, Berger & Markey, 2010).

This situation was inherited by the Obama administration, which has demonstrated a marked reduction in the belligerent international posture of America and move towards greater multilateralism in its international actions (Stokes & Raphael, 2010). Faced with growing disenchantment with the long drawn out military action the Obama administration is looking for ways and means to bring the military action in Afghanistan to an early end. To this end there is a realization that there is the need to adopt diplomatic means along with the military action to weed out the elements of terrorism and support the local government.

This solution is feasible, given the current perception that the Taliban as a whole does not constitute a threat to America and its international intentions, but rather they are fighting, because of the presence of foreign soldiers on their land. Thus America is now following a policy in Afghanistan that will drive a wedge between the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda. Towards this end America has softened its position on the Taliban, while going hard at the Al-Qaeda and the elements of the Taliban with close association with the views and objectives of the Al-Qaeda.

Through this the expectations are that there will be reduced resistance from the Taliban, allowing America and its allies to meet its objectives in crushing the Al-Qaeda, and allowing it to withdraw the foreign forces in Afghanistan. Along with this are the initiatives to hold discussions with the Taliban and encourage them to participate in the civilian governance of the country and thereby remove their resistance. American foreign policy in Afghanistan currently thus hopes to bring a quicker end to the hostilities in Afghanistan and remove it as one of the hot spots disturbing the world order (Armitage, Berger & Markey, 2010).

Conclusion The initial hostility to the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda in its actions the American intentions in Afghanistan is now changing to accommodation of the Taliban and elimination of the Al-Qaeda to bring about an early end to the hostilities in Afghanistan. Literary References Armitage, R. L., Berger, S. R. & Markey, D. S. 2010, U.S. Strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, The Council on Foreign Relations, New York. Stokes, D. & Raphael, S. 2010, Global Energy Security and American Hegemony, John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.

Wittkopf, E. R. Jones, C. M. & Kegley, C. W. 2008, American Foreign Policy: Patterns and Process, Seventh Edition, Thomson Higher Education, Belmont, CA. Wittkopf, E. R. & McCormick, J. M. 2004, The Domestic Sources of American Foreign Policy, Fourth Edition, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., Lanham, Maryland.