American Exceptionalism

Chandler Skolnick

U.S. Foreign Policy

Obama Response

            American exceptionalism is a vital aspect of the sense of patriotism in the United States. It is what has driven presidents to make extreme global decisions, most recently involving war and military action. This idea of exceptionalism derives from the idea that the United States is a global leader and role model; one who will help and protect those in need, no matter the price. It is also this sense of exceptionalism that has caused various parts of the world to resent the U.S. When further analyzing the first term of Barrack Obama's presidency, it has become quite evident that his policies have attempted to stray away from this notion of American exceptionalism, ultimately showing that he does not believe that this notion works or exists. 

            There are several specific instances in President Obama’s presidency that have shown his lack of belief in promoting American exceptionalism. The first of these examples is his reaction to the Green Revolution in Iran. As Ryan Lizza explains in his article, following the presidential elections in Iran there were mass protests in favor of the losing candidate. These protestors promoted a better, more citizen-oriented democracy, but the regime in power quickly pushed back against this movement (Lizza). In response to this crisis in Iran, President Obama instructed his staff not to interfere with Iran by backing the pro-democracy protestors. This was ordered due to the fact that the President was fearful that aiding the protestors would harm any negotiations with the current regime (Lizza). By failing to aid or even issue a statement of support to those who sought a fair democracy, Obama failed to act as a global leader (who would help the oppressed reach democracy) that an American exceptionalist would believe the U.S. President should be. Instead, the President was too afraid to damage relationships with a seemingly tyrannical government, something that the leader of the most powerful nation in the world should not fear under exceptionalism.

The other primary example of Obama’s lack of belief in American exceptionalism is through his dealings with the crisis in Libya. In this case, the Libyan people began to rise up and fight against their oppressive leader, Muhammar Qaddaffi. As the revolt escalated to serious conflict, several members of the United Nations Security Council drafted a vote for a U.N.-enforced air ban over Libyan airspace. Unlike many of his predecessors, President Obama was hesitant to support this vote (Lizza). This left the Council in a peculiar position: waiting on the United States for a decision on supporting military involvement. Contrary to the American exceptionalist belief, in this case, President Obama decided to take a step back and not take the primary leading role in this decision and instead “encouraged France, Britain, and other allies to share the lead” (Nye 106). President Obama’s direct refusal to act as the primary global leader in deciding how to go about dealing with Libya, provides a prime example for just how far from American exceptionalism he truly is. In conclusion, President Obama has clearly left behind the notion of American exceptionalism in his foreign policies, through his dealings with Iran Libya, and numerous other global and political issues.

Works Cited

Michael Cox and Doug Stokes (2012). American Foreign Policy. 2^nd ed. Oxford

University Press (Hereafter Cox and Stokes)

Lizza, Ryan. "The Consequentialist." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 05 Jan. 2017. Web.     21 Feb. 2017.