US Senator Marco Rubio, Republican, Florida

Wise bet?

In 2016, Republicans are likely to at least try to make foreign policy a focal point of the campaign, according to political analysts. William Galston, a former policy adviser to President Bill Clinton and presidential campaigns, said current crises combined with improvements in the economy, could make a bet on foreign policy a wise one.

"Changes in the world over the past year or two have been pretty alarming," Galston told the Associated Press. "There isn't much that's gone right for the United States but there are a fair number that have gone wrong."

Lieber thinks the GOP might have an advantage if foreign policy assumes a prominent role in 2016. "Much depends on the presidential candidates the parties select. Yet many opinion polls show that if foreign policy is a concern, the Republicans do seem to hold a slight advantage."

Yet even if the GOP manages to get voters concerned about world affairs, the party nominee may be unable to take advantage of the situation.

Almost all of the GOP contenders lack major foreign policy experience. Even Obama faced that criticism in his primary and presidential campaigns in 2008.

And whoever wins the GOP nomination may face Hillary Rodham Clinton, who served four years as secretary of state.

Contact the writer at paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com