Obama will not win by trying not to lose

The US president will not succeed abroad by trying to avoid the worst rather than achieve the best, says Zaki Laidi

TO evaluate an American president’s foreign-policy performance after one term is challenging, given the complex diplomatic and strategic environment and significant domestic constraints that confront every US president.

Nevertheless, in advance of November’s presidential election, it is important to distinguish the forces that have shaped Barack Obama’s foreign policy, and to assess his handling of them.