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“The appropriate response of an American president to humanitarian crises abroad remains very much in dispute. Abstract principles translate into precise guidelines for action only in untestable, retrospective judgments on past crises. Even the most powerful and persuasive American presidents are hemmed in by public and congressional opinion, bureaucratic pressures, and the views of allied powers. Even well-intentioned decisions may have unintended and perverse results.” — R. Breitman, A.J. Lichtman
The appropriate response of an American president to humanitarian crises abroad remains very much in dispute. Abstract principles translate into precise guidelines for action only in untestable, retrospective judgments on past crises. Even the most powerful and persuasive American presidents are hemmed in by public and congressional opinion, bureaucratic pressures, and the views of allied powers. Even well-intentioned decisions may have unintended and perverse results.