Difficult Transitions: Foreign Policy Troubles at the Outset of Presidential Power

Publication Date: December 2008

Publisher: Brookings Institution

Author(s): James B. Steinberg; Kurt M. Campbell

Research Area: Government

Keywords: Foreign policy; Presidential transition; U.S. politics

Type: Book

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

How should an incoming president prepare for the foreign policy challenges that lie immediately ahead? That's the question Kurt Campbell and James Steinberg tackle in this compelling book. They pinpoint the leading causes of foreign policy fiascos, including the tendency to write off the policies of the outgoing administration and the failure to appreciate the differences between campaign promises and policy realities. Most important, they provide a road map to help the new administration steer clear of the land mines ahead.