Hudson Institute expert: US needs foreign policy reboot

The United States must reboot its foreign policy if it wants to remain a serious force on the global stage, stated Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, in a column for the Saudi newspaper Arab News.

“It is time for members of Congress to stop playing political games and start reaching across the aisle and working together to find a way forward to reestablish America’s reputation and role in the world. The nation’s friends, partners, and allies are watching events closely and wondering what the future holds in store. Meanwhile, adversaries can sense weakness, indecisiveness and divisions, not only within the US political establishment but also among the American people,” Coffey said.

The expert specifically criticized the “bad” performance of Congress over the past week. “If it was a bad week for Congress, it was particularly bad for the American people and the nation’s partners around the world. The southern border of the US remains unsecured, and no additional funding has been approved for Ukraine,” the analyst added.

By withholding aid to Ukraine, the US Congress undermines Washington’s position in the world and sends a signal to the country’s adversaries, particularly Russia, Iran, and China. “Viewing the matter strictly from a US point of view, any objective person can see that helping Ukraine is in America’s national interest. Russia is one of its main adversaries. Europe, which is being destabilized as a result of the invasion of Ukraine, is one of its most important economic partners,” Coffey emphasized.

Despite the obvious benefits of helping Ukraine, certain members of the US Congress have chosen political pettiness, and are doing everything to block support for Kyiv. “They essentially are willing to sell out America’s partners in Ukraine for the sake of domestic political squabbles in Washington. This sends a horrible message to friends and foes alike. No doubt America’s partners and friends are watching this drama unfold. If they are not paying attention to what is happening in Washington, they should be.

Considering the lack of support for Ukraine, if you were a US partner in a dangerous neighborhood, it would not be unreasonable to wonder whether you could be the next to be sold out. For example, can Taiwan, Japan and South Korea really depend on Congress to support them during a time of conflict in East Asia?” Coffey asked.

Read the full text here.

On February 14, the UWC called upon the US House of Representatives to approve the long-awaited $95 billion aid package to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, which includes $60 billion earmarked for Ukraine.