United States of America
Despite polarized domestic politics and social tensions, the United States remains a major player in international relations, on the economic, military and diplomatic levels.
Related Subjects
Why Hillary?
Hillary Clinton has been enthroned as the presumptive next President of the United States - by the celebrity mongers, by the trendy Hollywood set, by the media, by the pundits, by the big donors, by Congressional Democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Charles Schumer and by the Las Vegas odds-makers. The crystallization of a consensus three years before the event is as intriguing as the questions about what sort of president she would make.
FRANCE CULTURE: United States. Has its foreign policy pivoted toward Asia?
Domestic policy remains Obama's focus and strongsuit while foreign policy has emerged as the administration's weakest and most deceptive area. Obama has proved measured yet hesitant, pragmatic yet reactive. Latin America and Africa are far from his radar. The relationship with Russia remains complicated. Washington has failed to exert influence over israel. In the Arab world, the U.S. abandoned former ally Mubarak and floundered in Syria. The U.S. will leave Afghanistan at the end of 2014 without fixing a thing. The relationship with Europe is far from harmonious. Only the rapproachment with the new Iranian president reveals a new and more ambitious approach to foreign policy. Only the U.S.'s diverse relationship with Asia remains to be seen.
Ohio : la renaissance ?
Since the early 19th century, the swing state of Ohio has almost always voted for the same presidential candidate as the rest of the country. This is why every four years, politicians and the media pay so much attention to the Buckeye state.
The Washington Tea Party
The near meltdown of the United States government evoked worldwide dismay and confusion. Both reactions were especially acute among America’s well-wishers. For not only would they have suffered the consequences of a global economic crisis but they also feel dependent on the probity of American leadership. That dependence may stem in part from their own failures to assume their reasonable share of responsibility for sustaining an orderly international system - a state of affairs remarkably unaffected by the costly flaws in Washington’s custodianship over the past several years. It is nonetheless real.
LE MONDE: A weakened interneational leadership
The world watches with weariness and disbelief as another American psychodrama unfolds. The government shutdown isn't but American, and by extension global, dysfunction's most recent manifestation.
NSA Does the Grand Tour
On Tuesday Barack Obama called President Francois Hollande of France to explain the National Security Agency’s massive surveillance of French government offices, businesses and private citizens. Obama stated that this was a well-meaning attempt to protect both countries from Islamic terrorism. He offered to “reexamine” the program so as to determine whether the right balance was struck between public safety and privacy rights.
FRANCE CULTURE: Russia formulated a plan for Syria
Moscow just informed Washington of its plan to control Syrian chemical weapons. The Russians and Americans will discuss the effort tomorrow in Geneva. The French proposition now seems overlooked. But much like Paris, Barack Obama still wields the threat of strikes if Damascus refuses to play along.
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Related centers and programs
Americas Program
Ifri's work on the Americas region focuses mainly on the United States. Indeed, for more than 20 years, Ifri's Americas Program has provided keys to understanding American society and domestic policy while shedding light on developments in the country's foreign policy, including transatlantic relations and trade issues.
Since 2023, a specific axis on Latin America structures more actively Ifri's research on this region.
Ifri's Canada program was active in 2015 and 2016.