Interview with Justin Vaïsse: Obama, the Pivot President
- By Frédérick Douzet
- and Justin Vaïsse
Pages 7 to 21
Cite this article
- DOUZET, Frédérick
- and VAÏSSE, Justin,
- Douzet, Frédérick.
- et al.
- Douzet, F.
- and Vaïsse, J.
https://doi.org/10.3917/her.149.0007
Cite this article
- Douzet, F.
- and Vaïsse, J.
- Douzet, Frédérick.
- et al.
- DOUZET, Frédérick
- and VAÏSSE, Justin,
https://doi.org/10.3917/her.149.0007
Justin Vaïsse offers an analysis of President Obama’s foreign policy after his first term. Obama is above all a pragmatic president. He does not fit easily into the traditional categories of idealism or realism in foreign policy. He has a vision of the United States facing decline in the wake of emerging powers and seeks to reformulate the American leadership. The concept of pivot is at the center of his vision which advocates a reallocation of military and political resources to Asia—particularly China—and other emerging powers, the new center of gravity of the world. This implies a relative disengagement from the Middle East which remains challenging to achieve.