Look Out, World Despite all the talk about our troubled economy, this year’s presidential race will still come down to competing visions of the post-9/11 world, and what America needs to do about it. George W. Bush leaves office stunningly unpopular, due overwhelmingly to his schizophrenic foreign policy (six years Hyde, two Jekyll). Given the strong political impetus for change, this election has always been the Democrats’ to lose.

Barack Obama will make America smarter about the outside world, and John McCain will make the world smarter about America. And on that score, there are plenty of ways to divvy up the global landscape. Here are ten criteria you can use to compare the candidates and help you break down the basic choices.

Priorities: Where’s the focus?
Allies: How to pick ’n’ save?
The vision thing: What to expect?
Heal the force: How to repair the U.S. military after Iraq?
Globalization: America’s new bogeyman, or its logical cause célèbre?
Climate change: The end of the world as we know it?
Iraq: When do we wrap up?
Afghanistan and Pakistan: How do we ramp up?
Iran: How far do we go?
The war on terror: Remember that?

I liked the 5k version better. I was promised 5k but got cut down to 4k. It happens. I felt like I gave a balanced appreciation. I don't agree with a good portion of McCain's vision but I wanted to voice that disagreement without unduly polluting the analysis--thus the tie judgment. Naturally, I might adjust the opening sentence a bit now! But as a foreign policy guy, I'm naturally going to make that argument.