Aftermath of the presidential polls would usher in a change in the US foreign and trade policies. The country would not pursue aggressive market-oriented policies, it would become more protectionist in trade and it would go slow in its proposed bilateral and free trade agreements with other countries and regional groups, according to a senior fellow in the US-based Council on Foreign Relations, Charles A Kupchan.
The US would try to come closer to India and would expect more cooperation from India. In disbursement of foreign aid it would be bullish to win over many developing countries, he said.
Addressing a session on ? After Bush : The Collapse of Bipartisanship and the Implication for US Foreign Policy ? organized by the apex industry body, CII in collaboration with The Aspen Institute-India in Capital on Monday, Kupchan said : ?US is facing a serious downturn in the economy, regional divide is increasing, the wages of the middle class employees is stagnant since 15 years. Globalisation has created problems for the US economy. All these will make it difficult for the new president to operate.? Kupchan further said that the overall global situation would be fluid aftermath US presidential polls. ?With the wars with Iraq and Afghanistan , the US has lost its legitimacy. The world now stands divided.?