Back to the Past?

Matt Yglesias points out that our nation’s official foreign policy brain trust — the five former Secretaries of State — agree that we should talk to Iran as a matter of presidential policy. It’s enough to make us start hallucinating an early end to the Bush Era of international relations. But, among others, James Joyner has already splashed some cold water on our faces in this regard. Seeing Obama and McCain as continuations (or more charitably, refinements) of the Bush Era isn’t just a paleo pastime. Yet there’s no denying that Bush’s second term has operated according to a much different slate of objectives — or at least has coughed up different kinds of outcomes — than his first term.

So how can we turn the page if we can’t turn back the clock? Nick Gvosdev suggests that we thumb our rulebook back to George Washington. I’m ordering rubber bracelets now: With Whom Would George Negotiate? Too long? I’m ordering rubber garters.