American Elections 2008: The foreign policy positions of the leading candidates for President

Europeans are watching the 2008 presidential election in the United States more closely than any in recent memory. Few American leaders have been as unpopular in Europe as George W. Bush, and many across the continent are hoping for big changes from the next American president.

This short background briefing paper introduces the emerging foreign policy positions of the leading candidates for the White House and highlights key points of difference between individual candidates on the one hand, and between overall Democratic and Republican outlooks on the other.