TN2020 Members Debate over Obama’s Transatlantic Policy

Transatlantic Network 2020  (TN2020) spent the morning of Thursday June 24th debating transatlantic politics.

Thomas Wright, Executive Director of Studies for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs opened the morning with remarks based on his Friday 25th Washington Quarterly article “Strategic Engagement Track Record.”  The article, and Wright’s remarks, focused on the Obama Administration’s international engagement agenda, and its successes and challenges.

Following Wright’s remarks, he chaired an Oxford Union style debate centered around the motion, “This House has lost confidence in the Obama administration’s foreign policy.”

The members against the motion argued that difficult global challenges cannot be solved in the 18 months since the President’s inauguration. They also argued that Obama is more popular in Germany than Chancellor Merkel, and viewed as a positive figure all over the world – thus having a tremendous affect on the United State’s relationship with the world.

The members for the motion proposed that, on the contrary, faith they once had in Obama had lessened. They argued that the President has made promises which have not been kept. They were also concerned with the administration’s track record on alliance building, arguing that “engaging” doesn’t mean “orchestrating”- particularly on Middle East policy.

In the end, the house vote was 47-23 against the motion asserting that the TN2020 membership had not in fact lost faith in the Obama Administration’s foreign policy.

We would love this debate to continue virtually. Are you for or against this house’s motion?

To learn more about Obama’s foreign policies, visit: President Obama’s Foreign Policy.