The America First strategy has redrawn Washington’s global priorities, leaving allies unsettled and critics warning of growing U.S. isolation. most observers are shocked by the U.S.’s new strategy. This strategy disregards all previous global commitments and promotes unilateralism as the new national doctrine. Alliances are considered to be costly and burdensome, and international dominance is desired without any shared responsibility for that dominance. This strategy creates a partisan divide in U.S. foreign policy, eliminating the historically bipartisan nature of U.S. foreign policy in just a few pages.
The new strategy also accuses elites in the U.S. of weakening America through international cooperation and promotes hard nationalism as a corrective strategy. The document references India multiple times today, indicating that the U.S. expects India to support U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific region and expects India to counterbalance the global rise of its competitors. The U.S. continues to pressure India for action toward this end, despite having already placed tariffs on many Indian exports and ignoring the many contradictions that currently shape the tension between our two countries.
India Faces Mixed Expectations
The new outlook towards India casts it in a more negative light and views it as more of a challenge than an opportunity or partner. Therefore, in this instance, it offers India cooperation based only on U.S. interests. There is no consideration of shared democratic values, but rather, the expectation of service to U.S. citizens without a reciprocal agreement. The Quad response is essential to the U.S., so India should view its participation in the Quad response as a major contribution.
The most significant concern for India is that sanctions create barriers to access to technology and threaten India’s economic security. It is, however, important to Washington that India remains an ally of Western countries in the pursuit of their goals globally. Washington continues to expect India to counterbalance China’s influence without offering incentives for cooperation. Furthermore, the expectation of helping to develop mineral resources in Africa is framed as an obligation to support each other and not a partnership.
A Strategy Leaving Many Unimpressed as America First strategy unfolds
Many from different backgrounds have criticized this methodology; for example, many European leaders are accusing Washington of not supporting them. Many MAGA groups believe that the plan is incomplete because it omits discussing the terrorism risk and creates ambiguity regarding who the United States considers its enemy. The document states that Europe’s population is going in the wrong direction, which is an unusual comment. It does not mention at all China’s practice of authoritarian rule.
Some analysts contend that this represents America’s growing inward anxiety about itself. America’s allies perceive America’s increasing unpredictability as a growing problem. India is experiencing rising costs while enjoying limited returns. Some analysts suggest that the strategy causes greater isolation of America, rather than strengthening it. There is a danger that the reliance on American support over many decades may become weakened and that we may be forced to turn to other powers for support. Several people are advising that this type of strategy is harmful to all parties.
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