Because foreign policy, even for the world’s sole super-power, requires more than its specific activities around the world. Foreign policy also includes the justifications and frameworks asserted by political elites to give shape and normative coherence - of whatever sort - to their power trajectory. After September 11th, it was precisely these policy frameworks, the explanations designed to justify policy actions, which changed quite dramatically. The actions themselves remained remarkably consistent before and after, though earlier tendencies towards military aggression and unilateralism increased drastically after September. Read more…