Austin: Is Conservative foreign policy different from Liberal foreign policy?”
In many ways. Liberal foreign policy was based on engagement with nations and international elements however differing in values and behavior. The concept was to focus on the middle to longer term and gradually narrow the distances by building common interests. Thus multilateral institutions were valued as furthering these objectives. International relationships were valued at the socio-political and cultural levels and not only as economic and transactional.
Conservative foreign policy is focused more on support of like minded international players and is more immediately seen as results driven. There is less interest in fostering the building of international institutions and in efforts to engage with countries where our economic interests are marginal.
