Shutdown Undercuts Obama Defining America’s Global Role

The U.S. government’s partial shutdown poses global risks that American resolve and commitment will come into question, heightening allies’ concerns and boosting opponents’ confidence.

President Barack Obama has emphasized his vision of a U.S. more focused on “nation-building at home.” Many Obama administration foreign policy decisions, including the reluctance to arm Syrian rebels, the call for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, and the tentative engagement with Iran, have unsettled long-time allies, including Saudi Arabia and Israel.