Eleanor Finch
Former US President Bill Clinton is known for his domestic accomplishments, but he also took significant international actions that still impact US foreign relations today. Clinton's diplomacy was marked by a desire to build a world that America would be happy to lead, but not dominate. His administration faced a number of foreign policy challenges, including the uncertainties of the post-Cold War world, such as the collapse of the Soviet Union and its former satellite states in Eastern Europe, as well as ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. Clinton's diplomatic efforts extended to Russia, China, North Korea, India, Mexico, and various countries in Africa.
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What You'll Learn
Diplomacy in the post-Cold War world
The collapse of the Soviet Union and the uncertainties of the post-Cold War world produced several foreign policy crises that challenged Bill Clinton's abilities as a statesman. Clinton's diplomacy in the post-Cold War world was characterised by his support for democracy and free trade, his personal relationships with other world leaders, and his commitment to nuclear non-proliferation.
Clinton's diplomacy was influenced by his relative lack of experience in foreign affairs. Weeks before he took office, outgoing President George H. W. Bush sent American troops into Somalia, a country located in eastern Africa, on a humanitarian mission to combat famine. However, the mission grew into a bloody military struggle, and Clinton announced a full withdrawal of US forces in 1994. This non-interventionist approach was also seen in Clinton's response to the Rwandan genocide in 1994, for which he was criticised. However, Clinton did take a more interventionist approach in Haiti, where he worked to restore democracy, and in the Middle East, where he facilitated the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and Palestine in 1993.
Clinton's policy towards Russia was to support the Yeltsin government, which had abolished communism but faced economic and political challenges. Clinton took personal responsibility for Russian policy and developed a good relationship with Yeltsin, which yielded several major agreements, including the removal of Soviet-era nuclear missiles from Ukraine and the institutionalisation of cooperation between Russia and NATO. However, relations began to fray during Clinton's second term as Moscow grew concerned about NATO's eastward expansion towards the Russian border.
Clinton also worked to improve relations with India, pressuring the country to liberalise its economy while criticising it on human rights and nuclear issues. He negotiated an agreement to halt the sale of Russian rocket parts to India and secured Senate approval of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. However, India's refusal to accept the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty created tensions between the two countries.
Clinton's diplomacy was also marked by his efforts to bring peace to Northern Ireland, where he challenged people from "both sides" to "forgive" the violence of the other and pledged US support for those working towards peace. This led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
Overall, Clinton's diplomacy in the post-Cold War world was characterised by a combination of power and diplomacy, as well as a commitment to democracy, free trade, and nuclear non-proliferation. He faced several challenges, including the uncertainties of the post-Cold War world and his own lack of experience in foreign affairs, but he was able to achieve several diplomatic successes, such as the Oslo Accords and the Good Friday Agreement.
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Relations with Russia
Bill Clinton assumed the presidency at a critical juncture in international affairs, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ensuing uncertainties of the post-Cold War world creating a host of foreign policy challenges. Clinton's diplomacy with Russia was marked by a complex relationship with President Boris Yeltsin, a desire to secure Russia's nuclear arsenal, and efforts to integrate the country into multilateral endeavours.
Clinton and Yeltsin shared a camaraderie, with the American leader emphasising their "partnership and friendship". Clinton believed that backing Yeltsin was crucial for Russian stability and market reform, even if it meant overlooking democratic shortcomings and the rise of oligarchs. He supported Yeltsin's leadership and funnelled billions of dollars in loans from the International Monetary Fund to Russia. Clinton also delayed visible progress on NATO expansion to boost Yeltsin's chances in the 1996 Russian elections.
One of the key issues in Clinton's diplomacy with Russia was nuclear non-proliferation. The Clinton administration worked through the Nunn-Lugar Act to provide technical assistance and funding to safeguard nuclear power plants and dismantle nuclear weapons in the former Soviet states. This was a significant achievement, given the historical animosity between the two countries. Additionally, the International Space Station project provided an incentive for Russia to adhere to nuclear non-proliferation by redirecting its scientific resources towards peaceful endeavours. The collaboration on the ISS stabilised Russia's struggling economy and symbolised a changed relationship between the two nations.
Clinton and Yeltsin also negotiated agreements to halt the sale of Russian rocket parts to India and to remove Soviet-era nuclear missiles from Ukraine in exchange for assurances of Ukraine's sovereignty and security. They also agreed on the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Baltic states, although tensions arose as Moscow grew concerned about NATO's eastward expansion towards the Russian border. Clinton lobbied for the inclusion of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic into NATO, assuring Russia that neither nuclear weapons nor large numbers of troops would be stationed in Eastern Europe. However, some Russians viewed this expansion as an aggressive act.
Clinton also urged Yeltsin to pursue a peaceful settlement in the Chechen War and supported his promise to finish the conflict before the election. Despite their efforts to maintain amicable relations, by Clinton's second term, tensions began to surface, signalling a fraying of the partnership.
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Diplomacy in the Middle East
During his presidency, Bill Clinton's foreign policy in the Middle East focused on several key issues and conflicts. One of Clinton's notable diplomatic efforts in the region was his attempt to resolve the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Clinton played a crucial role in facilitating negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, which resulted in the historic Oslo Accords in 1993. The Oslo Accords, signed by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, allowed for limited Palestinian self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Following the Oslo Accords, Clinton's administration continued to pursue peace in the region. They encouraged Jordan's King Hussein to make a peace treaty with Israel, offering military equipment and debt forgiveness as incentives. This resulted in the Israel-Jordan peace treaty in 1994, further stabilising the region. Clinton's administration also provided significant aid to the Palestinians, pledging a total of $3 billion to support their economy, although there were concerns about corruption among Palestinian officials.
Clinton's Middle East diplomacy also involved managing relations with Iraq. In 1998, Clinton warned Congress about Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's pursuit of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. The Iraq Liberation Act, signed during Clinton's presidency, provided aid to groups opposing Saddam Hussein. However, the administration faced challenges in its efforts to contain Iraq, partly due to the erosion of Clinton's domestic political stature and the active diplomacy of Russia, which sought to rebuild its position in the Middle East.
Additionally, Clinton's administration continued the previous administration's policy of limiting Iranian influence in the region. In 1994, Clinton declared Iran a "state sponsor of terrorism" and a "rogue state", imposing sanctions on its oil industry and restricting trade. Despite these measures, Iran's behaviour remained a concern, with the Clinton administration warning about its potential threat to Israel, the Arab world, and Western interests in the Middle East.
Clinton's Middle East diplomacy also extended to addressing conflicts in other regions, such as Somalia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Kosovo. He authorised military interventions in Bosnia and Kosovo, signing the Dayton Peace Agreement and contributing to peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo alongside NATO allies.
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Diplomacy in Africa
The Clinton administration saw a notable increase in high-level engagement in Africa, with a vision of partnership based on consultation and ambitious policy initiatives. This included a six-nation tour of Africa in 1998, during which Clinton stopped in Rwanda to meet with survivors of the 1994 genocide and issued an apology for the US's failure to act. This genocide, which saw an estimated 800,000 Tutsi and their defenders murdered, occurred just as the failure of the US mission in Somalia was still fresh in the minds of American policymakers, leading to criticism of both Clinton and the international community for not intervening.
Clinton's foreign policy approach, known as the "doctrine of enlargement," embraced free trade, multilateral peacekeeping efforts, international alliances, and a commitment to intervene in world crises when practical and morally defensible. This policy promoted an activist role for the US, extending and protecting basic human and civil rights, without undermining national security or depleting national resources.
Clinton's engagement in Africa was shaped by a focus on pursuing US economic interests, crisis diplomacy, investment in security operations, humanitarian assistance, and responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Clinton also aimed to strengthen bilateral relations with key African nations such as Nigeria and South Africa.
One of the earliest foreign policy challenges for Clinton was in Somalia, a country in eastern Africa. Weeks before Clinton took office, President George H. W. Bush had sent American troops into Somalia on a humanitarian mission to combat famine. However, the mission escalated into a bloody military struggle, and Clinton ultimately announced the withdrawal of US forces in 1994, with UN peacekeeping troops remaining until 1995. The intervention was largely seen as a failure, as warlords remained in control and no functioning government was restored.
Clinton also faced challenges in neighbouring Rwanda, where the US and UN were criticised for their inaction during the genocide. Despite these setbacks, the Clinton administration achieved notable successes in other regions, such as facilitating negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the Middle East and staving off an economic collapse in Mexico.
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Economic diplomacy
Bill Clinton's economic diplomacy was largely focused on securing free trade agreements, providing foreign aid, and managing economic crises.
One of Clinton's notable economic diplomacy achievements was securing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which integrated the economies of Mexico and the United States. Clinton strongly supported free trade measures and worked to ratify the treaty by the US Senate. However, there was opposition within his own Democratic party, as well as from Republicans, protectionist Democrats, and supporters of Ross Perot. Despite this, the bill passed the House and was signed into law by Clinton in 1994.
Clinton also played a role in managing the 1994-1995 Mexican economic crisis. When the Mexican peso began to sharply decline, threatening the collapse of Mexico's economy, Clinton proposed a plan to address the financial crisis. However, his plan was rejected by Congress due to concerns about the use of aid money. Clinton then used his executive authority to create a $20 billion loan package for Mexico, helping to restore international confidence in the country's economy.
In Russia, Clinton supported the funneling of billions of dollars in loans from the International Monetary Fund to aid the country's transition away from communism and address severe economic stresses. However, by 1999, this decision faced criticism as evidence emerged that much of the borrowed money may have been stolen by an organized criminal syndicate, including members of Yeltsin's family.
Clinton also pressured India to liberalize its economy while criticizing New Delhi on human rights and nuclear issues. India's refusal to accept the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty created tensions, and the restoration of American aid to Pakistan further strained the relationship.
Additionally, Clinton's administration worked to restore democracy in Haiti, which faced severe economic challenges. Clinton's threat of force, coupled with negotiations by former President Jimmy Carter, led to the removal of the military junta that had overthrown the country's democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in a 1991 coup.
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Frequently asked questions
Clinton played a role in bringing together Israel and Palestine to sign the Oslo Accords in 1993. This was considered one of his greatest diplomatic successes.
Clinton's foreign policy regarding Haiti was to restore democracy in the country. In 1993, he attempted to oust Haitian dictator Raoul Cédras, who had overthrown the nation's democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in a 1991 coup. With the help of former President Jimmy Carter, Clinton succeeded in negotiating with Cédras for his removal from power.
Clinton applied diplomatic pressure and repeated warnings to North Korea regarding their suspected reprocessing of spent fuel into plutonium, which could be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. Despite this, North Korea refused to allow inspections and even raised the prospect of war with South Korea. Clinton considered a US military strike on North Korea but was advised that it could cost large numbers of casualties. With private diplomacy by former president Jimmy Carter, the Clinton administration reached a breakthrough with North Korea in October 1994, agreeing to shut down nuclear plants that could produce weapons-grade materials in exchange for help from the US in building electricity-generating plants.
