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Did Obama's foreign policies have long-term consequences for US relations with other countries?

Sharif Rabbitt

Hey! Thanks for asking such a great question. I think that Obama's foreign policies certainly had some long-term consequences for US relations with other countries.

First of all, it's important to note that Obama was elected during a time when the US's reputation abroad had taken a hit in the wake of the Iraq War. One of Obama's main goals was to repair relationships with foreign allies and improve the US's standing in the world. He put a lot of effort into what he called "smart diplomacy," which involved engaging with other countries on key issues and working to find common ground.

One of the major examples of this was the Iran nuclear deal. Obama and his administration worked for years to negotiate a deal that would limit Iran's nuclear capabilities in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions. While there was some criticism of the deal, particularly from Republicans in Congress, many believe that it was a significant diplomatic achievement. However, this deal was later abandoned by the Trump administration, which has led to increased tensions between Iran and the US.

Another area where Obama's foreign policies had a long-term impact was in relations with Russia. Obama came into office hoping to "reset" relations with Russia, but tensions between the two countries continued to escalate. One major event was Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, which was seen as a violation of international law. The US and other countries responded with economic sanctions, which are still in place today. More recently, allegations of election interference by Russia have led to increased tensions between the two countries, with the US expelling Russian diplomats and imposing more sanctions.

In terms of the Middle East, Obama's policies had mixed results. On the one hand, he was able to pull US troops out of Iraq and ramp up the fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. However, the Syrian conflict has continued to drag on, with devastating impacts on civilians. The Obama administration was criticized for not doing more to stop the violence there, and for not following through on a promise to take military action against the Syrian government after it used chemical weapons.

Overall, I think that Obama's foreign policies had some successes and some failures. He was able to achieve some significant diplomatic breakthroughs, but there were also areas where tensions continued to escalate. It remains to be seen how the Trump administration will handle these relationships in the long run, but it's clear that Obama's policies have had a lasting impact on US foreign relations.