The Obama Doctrine in the Americas edited by Hanna S. Kassab and Jonathan D. Rosen Lexington Books (2016)

Abstract

The Obama Doctrine in the Americas is an edited volume spread over 14 chapters and deals with the foreign policy transition from George W. Bush to Barack H. Obama in relation to the countries of the Americas. In this work, the contributors considered the major defining features of the two US Presidents’ foreign policies in dealing with security-related issues. Distinctively, the authors examined whether major differences or continuities truly exist between the foreign policies of Bush and Obama, especially given the sensitivity of the American decline. The volume is more focused on Obama’s foreign policy in the Americas in terms of international security revolving around issues such as drug trafficking, organised crime, and terrorism. It is emphasised in the book that the Americas continue to be a very important region for the US security, specifically in terms of non-state pressure in various forms. The major portion of the book is spread into several case studies throughout the Americas. Mainly, the chapters revolve around the question of the major security challenges that the United States (US) faces. Furthermore, bilateral relations with the particular country are also analysed by comparing foreign policy of the Bush and Obama administrations. The chapters also address the subject of the nature of cooperation in terms of security related issues as well as the challenges faced by the Obama administration towards the end of his presidency.