From ‘America First’ to a More Conventional View of U.S. Diplomacy

From ‘America First’ to a More Conventional View of U.S. Diplomacy<br />" he said, adding, "We must learn from the mistakes of the past — we have seen the war and destruction<br />that have raged across the world." "Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world," Mr. Trump said. that America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path,<br />Mr. Trump asserted that the United States had spent $6 trillion in the Middle East — he did not clarify on what, or when — and said<br />that if the United States had spent that amount at home, "we could have rebuilt our country — twice," maybe even three times, if the nation was run by people who knew how to negotiate deals.<br />Peering down at Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who was seated with other members of his cabinet, Mr. Trump noted<br />that he had ordered the military to develop a plan to destroy the Islamic State, which he described as a "network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, and women, and children of all beliefs." "We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from this planet," he said.<br />By MARK LANDLERMARCH 1, 2017<br />WASHINGTON — President Trump on Tuesday offered a muted reaffirmation of his "America First" approach to foreign policy — one rooted in the<br />realities of the complex world he has confronted since taking office, not the uncompromising vision he sketched during the 2016 campaign.<br />He said the United States would work with allies — old and new, including those in the Muslim world — to seek stability and avert future wars.<br />In general, he steered clear of the bellicose language he used on the stump or even<br />that of previous presidents, like George W. Bush, who used a State of the Union address in 2002 to declare an "Axis of Evil." "We want peace, wherever peace can be found," Mr. Trump said.<br />"It is American leadership based on vital security interests we share with allies across the globe." Perhaps most surprisingly, Mr. Trump mentioned America’s greatest economic<br />and strategic rival, China, only once in his speech, in the context of lost American jobs since China joined the World Trade Organization.