US prestige abroad: 'long-term setback?'

All Washington foreign policy commentary now risks repeating itself. For the third week, the deepening crisis over the debt limit is driving out any meaningful Presidential engagement in international affairs. There is no advantage in speculating about the outcome. However, it is fair to note that whether a deal is reached or not, it will simply set the stage for future battles. There will be no euphoria in Washington political circles, especially in the light of the statistical evidence of faltering economic recovery. All involved recognize that the intense ideological divisions that have marked this episode are here to stay... Foreign affairs will not escape, ... dynamics will constrain his (Obama's) freedom for maneuver both on relatively small-scale issues like Libya and on larger questions such as the Middle East peace process and the search for an endgame in Afghanistan... The open question, however, now under discussion by many US foreign policy experts is whether, as suggested by the recent analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations, US prestige has suffered a long-term setback.