Book of the Week: Isolationism - The history of an enduring American Ideology

Isolationism has been at the center of national policy since the founding of the United States. Most of us are familiar with President George Washington's Farewell Address in 1796 when he warned America "to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world."

Of course, as American history has born out, US foreign policy has swung back and forth ever since, leading the nation into world war and a host of smaller military actions of various degrees of success or failure. Charlies Kupchan has written an important book memorializing the history of isolationism in American policymaking.

What I find remarkable about isolationism - and as Kupchan very ably points out in his book - is the staying power of isolationism as an ideology during the course of American history. Conversely, one could argue, we also see the staying power of an ideology of heavy engagement, of being the world's policeman, and of nation-building. It is not going away anytime soon and with the recent tragedy and leadership failures on how to withdraw from Afghanistan, we are likely to enter a new period of rigorous debate over isolationism. Kupchan's book is a highly useful if not indispensable guide to understanding the historic implications of isolationism.