Politics will check scope of US retrenchment abroad

Significance

President Barack Obama has drawn criticism from traditional US allies over a series of interviews with Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic magazine entitled 'The Obama Doctrine', in which the president described his foreign policy views and frustration with perceived 'free riding' by European and Gulf security partners.

Impacts

• Washington will take a tougher line on authoritarian moves by Turkey than the EU.
• US attention may return to the Middle East in the event of state collapse or unchecked territorial advances by jihadist groups.
• Israeli settlement expansions will place a ceiling on post-Obama improvements to relations.