Andrew Bacevich has provided an interesting op-ed to today's iht. As he explains US foreign policy for decades has been based upon the military projection of power across the world. He goes on to consider whether President Obama intends to fundamentally alter that policy or simple, in the liberal tradition, to revise the policy cosmetically and save it intact. This is a very astute observation.

My suspicion is that the President will not abandon the long standing policy. However, what we should all be asking ourselves is, 'What foreign policy best serves both the US and the cause of world peace?' Personally I favor a full retreat from the policy of exercising world influence through the projection of military power.

David Hillstrom, author of 'The Bridge'

"Do not hold your breath!" Obama is a nice guy and the U.S. benefits by his "Good Cop" image. The U.S. is cemented to Global Manifest Destiny - and many careers and "industries" count on eternal U.S. attempts to dominate the planet: It's in the U.S.'"national psyche" - still in our time. The "Good Cop" image is used to enlist a broad, pliable "coalition of the willing" - to share the expense. Reality may eventually drain some of this drive - but we will not be around when that begins.