( CNN ) -- President Obama 's State of the Union address predictably focused on his domestic priorities . Immigration reform , a laundry list of economic initiatives including infrastructure improvements ( Fix it First ) , clean energy , some manufacturing innovation , a bit of educational reform and the rhetorical high point of his speech -- gun control . As in years past , foreign policy made up only about 15 % of the speech , but even within that usual limited attention , Tuesday night 's address pointed to few new directions . On Afghanistan -- America 's longest war -- Obama expressed just a continued commitment to bringing the troops home , ending `` our war '' while theirs continues . On Iran , there was a single sentence reiterating the need for a diplomatic solution , which makes me think that a big diplomatic push is not likely . On North Korea , boilerplate promises to isolate the country further after its provocative nuclear test , and on Syria , a call to `` keep the pressure '' on the regime , which means more watching from the sidelines as the horror unfolds . Notably , China was mentioned only twice -- once in the context of jobs , and another time with respect to clean energy . Nothing about managing what could very well be this administration 's most vexing but critically important bilateral relationship . Obama 's call for a reinvigorated free trade agenda was his boldest foreign policy statement of the evening . He is right to note that free trade `` supports millions of good-paying American jobs , '' but his pledge to pursue a `` comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership '' -- a free trade agreement with Europe -- will run into significant opposition from organized labor , especially given ongoing weaknesses in the economy . Without fast track negotiating authority , the prospects for such a deal are minimal . Fast track authority , which allows the president to negotiate trade deals that Congress can then only approve or disapprove but not amend , expired in 2007 , and it would require quite a breakthrough for Congress to approve it again . Still , despite these challenges , an agreement is worth pursuing . Aside from a free trade agreement with Europe , there was little else in this State of the Union that hinted at foreign policy ambition . But unpredictable events have a way of derailing America 's best laid plans to stay above the fray of the world 's messiest problems . Who could have predicted just a few months ago that Mali would get a mention in the State of the Union ? Iraq -- not uttered once tonight -- could re-emerge as a formidable crisis ; Iran , Pakistan and North Korea also have tremendous potential to erupt . While this administration seems determined to focus inward on getting America 's economic and fiscal house in order , I doubt events in the rest of the world will be so accommodating . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Isobel Coleman .
Isobel Coleman : Obama mainly addressed domestic issues : economy , immigration , energy . He did not address foreign policy or the war in Afghanistan. Coleman : He talked about ending Afghanistan War , spoke briefly about Iran , Syria , China . Coleman : His reinvigorated free trade agenda seems to be the boldest move .