THE EUROPEAN – SECURITY AND DEFENCE UNION
In the Spotlight
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The country must care for the wounds in its society
America is back to world policy Interview with Michael Singh, Managing Director, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Washington, D.C.
The European: Mr Sing, during the last year we saw pictures of America, which shocked all those who believed in the democratic values the United States has always defended. We saw the murder of a black citizen, George Floyd, by a white police officer in Minnesota in July 2020. We couldn’t believe what was reported from Washington in January 2021: the attack on the US Congress, the cradle of democracy, encouraged by a former US president, who wanted to return to power after having lost democratic elections. America’s society seems to be in turmoil. Can one speak of a divided nation? Michael Singh: There can be little doubt that we are enduring an era of significant political polarisation. While there are gaps within each party – based on age, education level, etc. – it is the partisan gap between Republicans and Democrats that is most pronounced. What’s more, this polarisation is deepest with regard to some of our most difficult issues – for example, racism, gun policy, and climate change – and increasingly seems to affect Americans’ views not just of politics and political leaders, but of one another. Combined with what seems to be an increasingly tribalised media and a declining regard for institutions – whether religious, social, or governmental – this polarisation has made compromise and problem-solving difficult. The European: Yet we should not forget that there are still things on which Americans agree! Michael Singh: You are right. For example, large majorities want the United States to maintain its leadership role in the world and lead through diplomacy and alliances. Sustaining
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There can be little doubt that we are enduring an era of significant political polarisation.”
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our leading role on the world stage requires us to maintain our vigor and prosperity as a country, which in turn demands that we find ways to overcome our polarisation. The European: The new president has been very busy in his first 100 days. He has been active in international policy, reversing most of his predecessor’s decisions concerning relations with Europe and NATO, the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and the World Health Organisation. He also defined the directionof his foreign policy and the future US relations with China and Russia. But how will he deal with the domestic crisis, which at the same time is a public health, economic, and, most importantly, a social crisis? Michael Singh: It is irrefutably the case that the Biden administration’s top priorities are domestic – the United States, like much of the world, has been plunged into a public health and economic crisis for more than a year, though thankfully we seem to be through the worst of it thanks to the combined efforts of the current and previous administrations and of the American society as a whole. But difficult challenges remain: getting Americans back to work, for example, and tackling deeply divisive challenges related to racism, immigration, and other issues. The European: But isn’t there a cleavage between domestic and international policy? Michael Singh: I think that it is a mistake to think that we cannot tackle domestic and overseas challenges at the same time – we can, and we must. Indeed, the two can reinforce one another – foreign policy may be an area where Republicans and Democrats can begin to find common ground, and conversely, the more successful and prosperous we are at home, the stronger we will be on the world stage. But we must begin with a conscious decision to seek and find common ground with our domestic political opponents, and to work jointly toward our mutual success – bipartisanship is a choice. The European: There is a certain optimism in your answer, but do you believe that President Biden will be able to achieve reconciliation between the rural and traditional America and the urban population living in cities which are often more open to progress and societal change as we see it in Europe? Michael Singh: In my view, discussion of a “rural-urban divide” in the United States is often more caricature than reality. While
