{"id":3959,"date":"2026-05-05T15:03:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T15:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/?page_id=3959"},"modified":"2026-05-05T15:04:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T15:04:22","slug":"worst-decisions-results","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/worst-decisions-results\/","title":{"rendered":"Worst Decisions Results"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ranking<\/th>\nDecision<\/th>\nTotal Selections<\/th>\nSelections as % of All Responses<\/th>\nWeighted Total<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>\nInvasion of Iraq (2003)<\/td>\n275<\/td>\n87.86%<\/td>\n1924<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nDeployment of Combat Forces to Vietnam (1965)<\/td>\n148<\/td>\n47.28%<\/td>\n1000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nIndian Removal Act (1830)<\/td>\n154<\/td>\n49.20%<\/td>\n999<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nSupport for the Overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh (1953)<\/td>\n160<\/td>\n51.12%<\/td>\n745<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nSenate Rejection of the Treaty of Versailles (1919)<\/td>\n109<\/td>\n34.82%<\/td>\n742<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nForcible Removal of Cherokee Nation (1838)<\/td>\n116<\/td>\n37.06%<\/td>\n665<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nWithdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement (2017)<\/td>\n135<\/td>\n43.13%<\/td>\n647<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nLimits on Jewish Refugees from Germany (1939-1944)<\/td>\n124<\/td>\n39.62%<\/td>\n617<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nGulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)<\/td>\n95<\/td>\n30.35%<\/td>\n574<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nBombing of Nagasaki (1945)<\/td>\n90<\/td>\n28.75%<\/td>\n561<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nSecret Bombing and Invasion of Cambodia (1970)<\/td>\n105<\/td>\n33.55%<\/td>\n524<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nChinese Exclusion Act (1882)<\/td>\n121<\/td>\n38.66%<\/td>\n506<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nBay of Pigs Invasion (1961)<\/td>\n117<\/td>\n37.38%<\/td>\n472<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nSupport for the Overthrow of Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz Coup (1954)<\/td>\n100<\/td>\n31.95%<\/td>\n408<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15 (tie)<\/td>\nAnnexation of the Philippines (1899)<\/td>\n79<\/td>\n25.24%<\/td>\n380<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15 (tie)<\/td>\nBombing of Hiroshima (1945)<\/td>\n58<\/td>\n18.53%<\/td>\n380<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17<\/td>\nEnhanced Interrogation of Terrorism Detainees (2002)<\/td>\n89<\/td>\n28.43%<\/td>\n360<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18<\/td>\nInvasion of Afghanistan (2001)<\/td>\n72<\/td>\n23.00%<\/td>\n342<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19<\/td>\nImmigration Act of 1924<\/td>\n73<\/td>\n23.32%<\/td>\n327<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20<\/td>\nSupport for the Overthrow of Salvador Allende (1973)<\/td>\n87<\/td>\n27.80%<\/td>\n326<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
21<\/td>\nSmoot-Hawley Tariff (1930)<\/td>\n57<\/td>\n18.21%<\/td>\n301<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
22<\/td>\nNonrecognition of Haiti (1804)<\/td>\n65<\/td>\n20.77%<\/td>\n297<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
23<\/td>\nCrossing the 38th Parallel in the Korean War (1950)<\/td>\n50<\/td>\n15.97%<\/td>\n276<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
24<\/td>\nOverthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem (1963)<\/td>\n49<\/td>\n15.65%<\/td>\n255<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
25<\/td>\nIran-Contra Affair (1986-1987)<\/td>\n81<\/td>\n25.88%<\/td>\n249<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
26<\/td>\nMexican-American War (1846-1848)<\/td>\n50<\/td>\n15.97%<\/td>\n247<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
27<\/td>\nWithdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal (2018)<\/td>\n89<\/td>\n28.43%<\/td>\n237<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28<\/td>\nRefusal to Recognize People’s Republic of China (1949)<\/td>\n52<\/td>\n16.61%<\/td>\n233<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
29<\/td>\nWithdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (2017)<\/td>\n63<\/td>\n20.13%<\/td>\n224<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
30<\/td>\nSupport for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan (1981-1989)<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n14.38%<\/td>\n187<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
31<\/td>\nIntervention in Russia (1918-1920)<\/td>\n36<\/td>\n11.50%<\/td>\n174<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
32<\/td>\nNATO Expansion (1994)<\/td>\n41<\/td>\n13.10%<\/td>\n173<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
33<\/td>\nSpanish-American War (1898)<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n7.35%<\/td>\n133<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
34<\/td>\nWar of 1812<\/td>\n24<\/td>\n7.67%<\/td>\n130<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
35 (tie)<\/td>\nEmbargo of 1807\/Non-Intercourse Act of 1808<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n6.39%<\/td>\n117<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
35 (tie)<\/td>\nNeutrality Acts (1935-1939)<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n6.39%<\/td>\n117<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
36<\/td>\nTruman Doctrine (1947)<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n7.35%<\/td>\n115<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
37<\/td>\nDawes Act (1887)<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n8.31%<\/td>\n111<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
38<\/td>\nPlatt Amendment (1901)<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n7.35%<\/td>\n99<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
39<\/td>\nWithdrawal from ABM Treaty (2001)<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n8.31%<\/td>\n96<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
40 (tie)<\/td>\nTreaty of Versailles (1919)<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n4.47%<\/td>\n85<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
40 (tie)<\/td>\nRecognition of Israel (1948)<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n5.75%<\/td>\n85<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
42<\/td>\nAnnexation of Hawaii (1898)<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n5.75%<\/td>\n84<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
43 (tie)<\/td>\nNonrecognition of New Latin American States (1818)<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n5.75%<\/td>\n81<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
43 (tie)<\/td>\nIndian Appropriations Act of 1871<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n5.11%<\/td>\n81<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
44<\/td>\nIntervention in Libya (2011)<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n7.35%<\/td>\n78<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
45 (tie)<\/td>\nEntry into World War I (1917)<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n4.15%<\/td>\n73<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
45 (tie)<\/td>\nEmbargo on Aviation Fuel, Scrap iron, and Oil to Japan (1940-1941)<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n4.15%<\/td>\n73<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
47<\/td>\nManagement of the Collapse of the Soviet Union (1990-1991)<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n4.15%<\/td>\n69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
48 (tie)<\/td>\nDeclaration of Neutrality in World War I (1914)<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n3.51%<\/td>\n63<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
48 (tie)<\/td>\nSenate Rejection of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1999)<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n5.43%<\/td>\n63<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
50<\/td>\nMonroe Doctrine (1823)<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n3.19%<\/td>\n58<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
51 (tie)<\/td>\nIndian Appropriations Act of 1851<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n5.11%<\/td>\n57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
51 (tie)<\/td>\nAdmitting the Shah of Iran into the United States (1979)<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n6.39%<\/td>\n57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
53 (tie)<\/td>\nVietnamization (1969)<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n3.83%<\/td>\n51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
53 (tie)<\/td>\nNorth American Free Trade Agreement (1993)<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n4.15%<\/td>\n51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
55<\/td>\nIran Nuclear Deal (2015)<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n2.56%<\/td>\n50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
56 (tie)<\/td>\nDollar Diplomacy (1909-1913)<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n3.51%<\/td>\n49<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
56 (tie)<\/td>\nIntervention in Nicaragua (1912)<\/td>\n19<\/td>\n6.07%<\/td>\n49<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
58<\/td>\nEntry into Korean War (1950)<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n4.15%<\/td>\n47<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
59<\/td>\nEconomic Decoupling from China (2018-2020)<\/td>\n15<\/td>\n4.79%<\/td>\n43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
60<\/td>\nAnnexation of Texas (1845)<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n3.83%<\/td>\n41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
61<\/td>\nOccupation of Veracruz (1913)<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n2.56%<\/td>\n40<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
62 (tie)<\/td>\nSuppression of the Boxer Rebellion (1900)<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n2.88%<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
62 (tie)<\/td>\nInterventions in the Dominican Republic (1912, 1916)<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n5.11%<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
64<\/td>\nHandling of the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n1.60%<\/td>\n31<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
65 (tie)<\/td>\nYalta Conference (1945)<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n2.24%<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
65 (tie)<\/td>\nSupport for Israel in Yom Kippur War (1973)<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n3.19%<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
67 (tie)<\/td>\nIntervention in Lebanon (1982)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
67 (tie)<\/td>\nPermanent Normal Trade Relations for China (2000)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
68<\/td>\nPershing Expedition (1916)<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n2.88%<\/td>\n19<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
69<\/td>\nTeller Amendment (1898)<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n3.19%<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
70<\/td>\nJay Treaty (1795)<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n0.96%<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
71<\/td>\nWashington Naval Conference and the Four-Power, Five-Power, and Nine-Power Treaties (1921-1922)<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n0.96%<\/td>\n15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
72 (tie)<\/td>\nCreation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1947)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
72 (tie)<\/td>\nIntervention in Kosovo (1999)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
74 (tie)<\/td>\nLouisiana Purchase (1803)<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n2.56%<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
74 (tie)<\/td>\nCreation of the United Nations (1945)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
74 (tie)<\/td>\nLiberation of Kuwait (1991)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
77 (tie)<\/td>\nOregon Treaty (1846)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
77 (tie)<\/td>\nTrent Affair Diplomacy (1861)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
77 (tie)<\/td>\nOpen Door Policy with China (1899-1900)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
80 (tie)<\/td>\nLend-Lease Act (1941)<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n1.28%<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
80 (tie)<\/td>\nSuez Canal Crisis (1956)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
80 (tie)<\/td>\nTaiwan Relations Act (1979)<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n1.28%<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
80 (tie)<\/td>\nOverride of Reagan’s Veto of the Anti-Apartheid Sanctions Bill (1986)<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n0.96%<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
84 (tie)<\/td>\nProclamation of Neutrality (1793)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
84 (tie)<\/td>\nAdams-Onis (Transcontinental) Treaty (1819)<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n1.28%<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
84 (tie)<\/td>\nGood Neighbor Policy Toward Latin America (1933)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
87<\/td>\nFormal Recognition of the People’s Republic of China (1979)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
88 (tie)<\/td>\nCreation of NATO (1949)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
88 (tie)<\/td>\nCreation of the World Trade Organization (1995)<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n1.28%<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
90 (tie)<\/td>\nAlliance for Progress (1961)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
90 (tie)<\/td>\nCamp David Accords (1978)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
92 (tie)<\/td>\nPotsdam Agreement (1945)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
92 (tie)<\/td>\nPanama Canal Treaties (1978)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nTreaty of Alliance with France (1778)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nAct Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves (1807)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nAnglo-American Convention of 1818<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nPurchase of Alaska (1867)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nAmerican Relief Mission to Post-WWI Europe (1919)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nDestroyers-for-Bases Deal (1940)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nTehran Conference (1943)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nCreation of the Bretton Woods System (1944)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nCreation of the Organization of American States (1948)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nMarshall Plan (1948)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nBerlin Airlift (1948-1949)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nIntervention in Lebanon (1958)<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n0.64%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nLimited Test Ban Treaty (1963)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nImmigration Act of 1965<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nKennedy Round of Trade Negotiations (1967)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nNuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (1968)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nOpening to China (1971-72)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nSALT I Agreement and the ABM Treaty (1972)<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n0.32%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nHelsinki Final Act (1975)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nEgyptian-Israeli Peace Agreement (1979)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nSalt II Treaty (1979)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nIntermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (1987)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nSupport for the Reunification of Germany (1990-1991)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 (tie)<\/td>\nSTART Agreements (1991, 1993)<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0.00%<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ranking Decision Total Selections Selections as % of All Responses Weighted Total 1 Invasion of Iraq (2003) 275 87.86% 1924 2 Deployment of Combat Forces to Vietnam (1965) 148 47.28% 1000 3 Indian Removal Act (1830) 154 49.20% 999 4 Support for the Overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh (1953) 160 51.12% 745 5 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3959","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3959"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3959\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3962,"href":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3959\/revisions\/3962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/ten-best-ten-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}