Among the many issues facing America’s leaders today is how to balance the need for a strong military with the need to protect people around the world from natural disasters, human rights abuses, and wars between countries. This is a complex task that requires careful attention to the realities of a constantly changing international landscape.
Foreign policy consists of the programs and policies that determine a nation’s relations with other nations and foreign entities. This includes diplomatic relationships and embassies; international development and humanitarian assistance; global issues and environmental challenges; trade agreements; and security and defense policy. In the United States, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs manages these matters and has jurisdiction over six standing subcommittees focusing on foreign aid, human rights policy, international development in different regions of the world, and more.
In the past, American foreign policy was guided by principles like national sovereignty and non-interference in the affairs of other nations. However, more recently, political parties have favored foreign policy that is more aggressive in supporting U.S. economic interests abroad, bolstering its military alliances to protect allies, and combating threats to America’s security.
Many millennials are disenchanted with the current state of American foreign policy and the way it prioritizes military spending over domestic needs. Surveys suggest that addressing the educational system, improving the economy, and reducing inequality rank higher as priorities for millennials than combating terrorism and strengthening the military. This recognition of work that needs to be done at home explains the popularity of candidates like Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump among young Americans. But millennials need to hear a clear and compelling argument about why the United States must continue to play a leading role in world affairs.