Marco Rubio's Vision of Foreign Policy

As candidates often do, Marco Rubio wrote an essay for Foreign Affairs outlining his vision of foreign policy. The tone is what you would expect--we're not "strong" and we need to be "leaders." We're responsible for everything, it seems.

What's notable, however, is that Latin America is absent. As in not mentioned unless you count a passing reference to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In other words, after hammering the Obama administration for its "neglect" of Latin America, Rubio seems to think the solution is to...neglect Latin America. Not that I'm complaining--Rubio's hawkish views would be counterproductive anyway.

He doesn't even mention Cuba. Instead, he actually offers a vision that if followed would entail ending the embargo.

The second pillar of my foreign policy is the protection of an open international economy in an increasingly globalized world. Millions of the best jobs in this century will depend on international trade that will be possible only when global sea-lanes are open and sovereign nations are protected from the aggression of larger neighbors.

The "aggression of larger neighbors" is clearly unintended irony.