The Heavy Historical Baggage of U.S. Policy Toward the Middle East

Paul R. Pillar

July 8, 2015 | http://nationalinterest.org/blog/paul-pillar/the-heavy-historical-baggage-us-policy-toward-the-middle-13286

There is much to be said for what is commonly called a “zero-based review”—a fresh look at a problem or project unencumbered by existing assumptions and practices. Just about any organization or mission could benefit periodically from such an assessment, to make possible the removal of accumulated historical impedimenta. This is true of U.S. foreign policy, which exhibits far more continuity than is often assumed.