Obama’s quest to establish a legacy

The midterm Congressional Elections in the U.S. on Nov. 4 marked a setback for the Obama Administration, as Republicans gained control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 2006.

The Republicans have already owned the majority of seats in the House of Representatives since 2010, and have now captured a narrow majority in the Senate as well with 52 seats, while the Democrats have 45. Tight races in several states and widespread attempts by Democratic candidates to distance themselves from U.S. President Barack Obama’s policies during the campaign are warning signs that it may be time for Obama to institute some policy changes.

The election results have truly turned Obama into a lame duck. Over the final two years remaining in his presidency, Obama will be under heavy pressure from a hostile Congress and will be forced to compromise on many of his policies. Besides domestic repercussions, what will be the impact of a Republican Congressional majority on U.S. foreign policy?

According to the U.S. Constitution, the president is in charge of formulation and initiation of foreign policy, whereas Congress has a limited role. Foreign policy is usually where U.S. presidents are able to forge their legacy, and Obama is no exception. However, he has not been able to come up with a success story in his foreign policy yet. Could this situation finally convince him to opt for a more active and interventionist foreign policy during his last two years in office?

Although Obama chose to focus on Southeast Asia and the Pacific in his second term, he has failed to do so because of the demands of other international developments. He has already signaled that his priorities over his last two years will be to fight against the spread of...