Richard S. Conley is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida. A scholar of the presidency and comparative executives and legislatures, he has authored or edited 11 books in print or in press, and 30 journal articles on American and comparative politics.

This book assesses the foreign policy legacy of the Obama administration through the lens of national security and leadership. Timely, accessible chapters authored by leading scholars of presidential and international politics include coverage of the pivot to China, the Iran nuclear deal, ISIS, and the ways in which Obama foreign policy shaped the 2016 presidential election. Exploring the philosophical basis of the Obama administration's counter-terrorism strategy and how it differed from the George W. Bush administration, the book contributes to an understanding of the distinctive interplay between the formal and informal powers of the president in the quest for peace and security.

1. Introduction: The National Security Transition from Obama to Trump Richard S. Conley

2. Rhetoric, Public Politics, and Security Cigdem V. Sirin and José D. Villalobos

3. Terrorism Strategy Shifts from Bush to Obama Karen A. Feste

4. Military Initiatives by President Obama Louis Fisher

5. Obama's National Security Cabinet: The Fight to Survive White House Micromanagement Shirley Anne Warshaw

6. Obama and Guantanamo: The Intractable-and the Internal-Dilemma Nancy Kassop

7. Attack of the Drones: National Security, Due Process, and the Constitutionality of Unmanned Strikes Jordan Cash and David Bridge

8. Obama, Unilateral Diplomacy, and Iran: Treaties, Executive Agreements, and Political Commitments Jeffrey S. Peake

9. U.S.-Russian Relations During the Obama Presidency: From Reset to a New Cold War? M. Leann Brown

10. The Clash of Civilizations and the Clash of Candidates: The 2016 Election Richard S. Conley

Appendix A. U.S. Domestic Terrorism, 2009-2016: Attackers using Political Islam Justification

Appendix B. Selected Speeches of President Obama, 2009-2017: Counterterrorism Policy