Obama shapes foreign policy from an American cocoon

By Michael Barone

Published August 25, 2013 4:00am ET

Obama shapes foreign policy from an American cocoon — President Obama makes his key Middle East speech at Cairo University June 4, 2009 in Cairo, Egypt. In his speech, President Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims", declaring that "this cycle of suspicion and discord must end." (Photo by Getty Images) | Getty Images

When two foreign policy experts with quite different perspectives produce interestingly similar analyses of a president’s foreign policy, it’s usually wise to take notice.

The two authors are Robert Kaplan, chief geopolitical analyst at Stratfor, writing in realclearworld.com, and Elliott Abrams, an appointee in the Reagan and George W. Bush administrations now at the Council on Foreign Relations, writing in the September issue of Commentary.