The Godfather Doctrine: A Foreign Policy Parable

Introduction 1 The Godfather Doctrine 21 Epilogue: Critics and Crisis 61

John C. Hulsman is the Alfred von Oppenheim Scholar in Residence at the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. He is the coauthor, with Anatol Lieven, of "Ethical Realism". A. Wess Mitchell is cofounder and director of research at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) in Washington, D.C.

"In The Godfather, Mafia don Vito Corleone is shot down on the street by rivals, taken by surprise in a world where the rules have changed and a new course must be charted. Corleone's circumstances mirror the state of our nation and hold lessons for its future, according to the two international-relations experts who wrote The Godfather Doctrine, out this week. Co-authors John C. Hulsman and A. Wess Mitchell are a rare pair: entertaining and instructive."--Boston Globe "Still, as much as I like The Godfather, I never thought of it as the guide to American foreign policy options in the 21st century. Fortunately, two other guys did. The Godfather has always been a joy to watch; however, given the present changes in the world?s power structure, the movie becomes a startlingly useful metaphor for the strategic problems of our times... [A] cute little book."--Kevin Horrigan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch "If, as Emerson posited, events are 'in the saddle' and riding humankind, how do Obama and the Americans who turn their lonely eyes to him sort it all out in the world of globalization? Together. Emphatically. Through the untinted prism of realism. That's what the authors argue. The 'Pax Corleone' allegory, so imperfect and ironic, is their clever yet thought-provoking way of summoning us to become, pragmatically, our best selves. Dream City, Reality City--can they coexist, even ascend, in peace? For 10 recessionary bucks, The Godfather Doctrine forces us to think about how."--Gene Krzyzynski, Buffalo News "It's a fun take on the basic issues of foreign policy."--Michael Maiello, Forbes.com "George Kennan. Henry Kissinger. Michael Corleone? Yes, at this critical historical juncture, the fictional antihero is making a foreign-policy offer that two specialists in the field believe we can't refuse. The Godfather's 'unlikely wisdom' for our challenging times--as a new president attempts to preserve America's global standing in the face of war, economic crisis, and rising great