Hoover Institution
10/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2024 05:48
Americas First: Reorienting US Foreign Policy
The United States neglects Latin America and the Caribbean at its peril. From drug cartels to China and its anti-American allies, threats to the Americas directly affect US national security. Heeding Secretary of State George Shultz's advice that "foreign policy starts in your own neighborhood," the US must adopt an "Americas First" approach, prioritizing the Western Hemisphere in its strategic calculus to ensure not only regional stability but also global order.
Key Takeaways
- Heeding Secretary of State George Shultz's advice that "foreign policy starts in your own neighborhood," the United States must adopt an "Americas First" approach, prioritizing the Western Hemisphere in its strategic calculus.
- Now is the time to put the "Americas First" in US foreign policy. The United States must rekindle diplomatic, economic, and security ties in Latin America and the Caribbean to counter external threats and foster regional prosperity.
- From drug cartels to geopolitical rivals like China, threats to stability in Latin America have a direct impact on US national security. The United States needs a proactive policy for regional engagement. It's time to put the Americas First.
Americas First: Reorienting US Foreign Policy by Hoover Institution
About the Author
Joseph Ledford is a Hoover Fellow and the assistant director of the Hoover History Lab at the Hoover Institution. Ledford is a historian of US foreign policy and the author of a forthcoming book on the Iran-Contra affair. He earned his PhD in history at the University of California-Berkeley.