Candidates often struggle in office to live up to foreign policy promises . Obama has promised to help arm Syrian rebels , talked tough on Iran . Guantanamo remains open , even though Obama signed an executive order to have it closed two days after he took office in 2009 . Much of Obama 's foreign policy agenda from this campaign has n't been realized . Presidential history is littered with unmet challenges from the past , experts say .
Candidates often struggle in office to live up to foreign policy promises . Obama has promised to help arm Syrian rebels , talked tough on Iran . Much of Obama 's foreign policy agenda from this campaign has n't been realized . Presidential history is littered with unmet challenges from the past , experts say .