Are we entering a new era of isolationism?

President Obama laid out his case for intervening in the Syrian conflict during his address to the nation on Tuesday night.  Throughout his speech, he addressed many of the counterarguments voiced in recent days from representatives in Congress, political commentators, and from letters sent to him by the American people.  He recognized that the country has grown tired of war after long and bloody conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He also attempted to assuage the fears of many that the United States has become the world's policeman.   Ultimately, he announced a delay in the Congressional vote authorizing the use of force so he could pursue a possible diplomatic agreement requiring that Syria dismantle its chemical weapons stockpile.

What struck me the most about President Obama's address was his reference to a speech made by Franklin Roosevelt on the eve of World War II.  In it, FDR tried to convince a nation with a long history of neutrality and isolationism to get involved in the fight against fascist tyranny.  That conflict brought a dramatic shift in US foreign policy that saw the United States taking a lead role in global affairs throughout the Cold War and beyond.  However, could the reticence of the American people towards an attack on Syria be signaling an end to this trend?  Bill Keller wrote about this in his recent column in The New York Times.  The rise of the Tea Party has even impacted the Republican party, which has promoted a hawkish view of American foreign policy since the days of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.

Time will tell if we are indeed witnessing a shift in US foreign policy...