Under President George W. Bush, Republicans fractured into distinct foreign policy factions, with pragmatic “realists” sidelined by ideologically driven “neoconservatives”. But a John Kerry administration could also have its own divisions.

US voters are understandably uncertain about Mr Kerry's foreign policy beliefs. As a senator, his role was not to make executive decisions. However, the fault lines that marked the Clinton years are still apparent in the Democrats' policy-making process.