0205084567 ch15


Foreign and National Security Policy

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Competing Principles for American Foreign PolicyCompare and contrast four different approaches to American foreign policy.

Links Between Foreign and Domestic PolicyEstablish three links between American foreign and domestic policy.

The Domestic Context of American ForeignPolicymakingAssess pathways for citizen participation in foreign policymaking.

Key Objectives

15.1

15.3

15.2

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Political Institutions and Foreign PolicymakingAnalyze how political institutions compete for influence in making foreign policy.

Foreign Policy and National Security IssuesOutline the major foreign policy issues confronting the United States today.

Key Objectives

15.4

15.5

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Back to Learning Objectives

Competing Principles for American Foreign Policy

• Today, there are two major approaches to U.S. interaction with the rest of the world.– Transformers– Maintainers

• Both perspectives view the U.S. as a leading power in world politics

• They differ, however, on what the United States should accomplish from this position of strength

Compare and contrast four different approaches to American foreign policy.15.1



Perspectives on Foreign PolicyTRANSFORMERS: PERSPECTIVES AND BELIEFSNeoconservatives• The United States must enforce the rules on other countries (although not necessarily abide by them), because it is the sole unchallenged superpower.• Military power is the most important factor in foreign policy.• The United States must be able to act unilaterally, as its leaders see fit, in dealing with foreign policy problems; international organizations may come between the United States and its best interests.• Spreading democracy to other nations is in the best interests of the United States.

Neoliberals• Spreading democracy is in the American national interest.• Nonmilitary means are preferred over military action.• Support from international organizations and agreements can be important to future endeavors.

15.1



Perspectives on Foreign PolicyMAINTAINERS: PERSPECTIVES AND BELIEFSConservatives• The United States must be prepared to use military force.• Global interests may be different from U.S. interests.• Power is an important asset; it must be maintained and used carefully.• Power is more effective if it is viewed as legitimate.

Isolationists• Military power should be used as a shield to protect U.S. interests.• The United States is minimally accountable to its allies and the international community.• Foreign policy should consist mostly of cultural, commercial, and diplomatic interactions.

15.1



Neoconservatives•Four common themes tend to unite their views on American foreign policy

– The U.S. is in a position to force others to follow rules of proper behavior, but it does not have to abide by those rules itself

– The U.S. military is the central instrument of American foreign policy

– Unilateralism is the proper approach for dealing with foreign policy problems

– Spreading democracy around the world is in the U.S.’s national interest

Transformers 15.1



Neoliberals •Neoliberal transformers share three common objectives

– Seek to spread democracy to further American national interests

– Stress nonmilitary means for achieving foreign policy ends

– Stress the importance of international institutions and agreements as ways of accomplishing foreign policy objectives

Transformers (cont’d) 15.1



• Whereas both the neoconservative and neoliberal transformers are optimists, the conservative and isolationist maintainers are pessimists

• Maintainers see the international system as a threat to American interests

Maintainers 15.1



Conservatives•Conservatives believe that an effective foreign policy must be built around four themes

– The U.S. must be prepared to act militarily– When American national interests are in

conflict with global interests national interests must always take precedence

– Power, especially military power, must be refreshed constantly and used carefully

– The exercise of American power is most effective when others view it as legitimate

Maintainers (cont’d) 15.1



Isolationists Three themes guide isolationist foreign policy

thinking– American foreign policy must concentrate on

protecting American lives and property, the territory of the U.S., and the integrity of the American political system

– American responsibility to allies and the international community is minimal

– Foreign aid should be reduced and American troops brought home

Maintainers (cont’d) 15.1



• Transformers and maintainers took different positions

• Transformers and maintainers all agreed that Saddam was an obstruction but disagreed on the means for his removal

Conflicting Evaluations of theWars in Iraq and Afghanistan

15.1



Neoconservative Evaluation•Neoconservatives view the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as essential to the future security of the U.S. •Removing Saddam from power was also necessary in order to build democracy in Iraq and set the stage for the democratization of the Middle East•The U.S. can’t leave Iraq until democracy and economic recovery are assured

Conflicting Evaluations of theWars in Iraq and Afghanistan (cont’d)

15.1



Neoliberal Evaluation•Neoliberals asserted that nonmilitary means were a preferable line of action for removing these regimes•Occupying and reconstructing these nations would be difficult•Democracy could not be imposed from outside •The UN should be playing a larger role

15.1Conflicting Evaluations of theWars in Iraq and Afghanistan (cont’d)



Conservative Evaluation•Conservatives make some key distinctions between the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan•Favor the broader, more engaged international alliance employed in the U.S.-centered approach in Iraq•View the Iraq War as having distracted the U.S. from pursuing Osama bin Laden and his terrorists•Overarching concern that by acting unilaterally, the U.S. disrupted the balance of global politics leaving America less secure




Isolationist Evaluation•Generally supported the war in Afghanistan as a direct response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks•Saw little value added in the Iraq War, regarding democracy building in the Middle East as a “fool’s errand”•Prefer focus on more rigorous efforts to promote homeland security




• Diverging attitudes about how to interact with the world have long been shaped by specific historical circumstances, America’s strategic interests, and the different foreign policy preferences of American leaders

Echoes from the Past 15.1



The attitude of this group would support economic sanctions over the use of military if possible

A. NeoliberalsB. IsolationistsC. ConservativesD. Neoconservatives

15.1



Links Between Foreign and Domestic Policy

• Foreign policy is often based on ideas and values that guide domestic policy

• U.S. political decision-making process is influenced by the presence and activity of a number of international factors

• U.S. foreign policy can affect the distribution of costs and benefits among different groups in the U.S.

Establish three links between American foreign and domestic policy.15.2



• American domestic and foreign policy emphasizes individual legal rights and civil liberties; paying less attention to economic and social rights

• Washington usually regards hostile, overly strong governments as the primary threat to human rights

Domestic Policy Values GuideAmerican Foreign Policy

15.2



• Rarely does American policy see a need to strengthen foreign governments in order to promote human rights

• American foreign policy generally rejects violence as a means for promoting human rights

Domestic Policy Values GuideAmerican Foreign Policy (cont.)

15.2



• Lobbyists pursue a two-step lobbying campaign– Seek to establish a relationship with the White House,

the Departments of State and Defense– Lobby Congress

• Foreign lobbying raises concerns– Competition between Americans and foreign lobbyists– Potential incompatibility between U.S. and foreign

interests• Increasing globalization

International Factors Influence U.S. Political Activity

15.2



• Citizens and governments of other countries are also engaged in their own respective cost-benefit assessments

• There is an inverse relationship between public support for interventionist foreign policy and detrimental effects on U.S. domestic programs

• Battlefield losses also figure into support for international action

International and Domestic Gains and Losses

15.2



Public concerns about the benefits and costs of American foreign policy today run high in

A. foreign aid. B. immigration policy.C. joint efforts in stopping terrorism.D. international trade policy.

15.2



The Domestic Context of American Foreign Policymaking

• The making and carrying out of foreign policy seems distant and remote to most Americans

• Some individuals are better positioned to influence public policy as they possess knowledge and access to policymakers

Assess pathways for citizen participation in foreign policymaking.15.3



• Public opinion provides a first pathway for most citizens to express their views about American foreign policy

• Public opinion is likely to be heard most clearly in the agenda-building and ratification stages of foreign policy decision making.

Public Opinion 15.3



• A winning candidate in modern presidential elections can claim that the victory provides a mandate for that candidate’s program

Elections 15.3



• A wide variety of groups use this pathway to influence American foreign policy

• Among the most influential interest groups are ethnic identity groups

• Religion-based interest groups are becoming increasingly active

Interest Groups 15.3



• Globalization as a political issue has succeeded in mobilizing protesters because it taps into two important contemporary issues: quality of life and civil rights and liberties

• Protests can also bring new voices into the political process and reenergize long-established political forces, such as labor unions

Political Protest 15.3



At which stage is public opinion most effective in foreign policy?

A. Implementation stageB. Formulation stageC. Ratification stageD. Evaluation stage

15.3



Political Institutions and Foreign Policymaking

• The Constitution allocates powers for making foreign policy– Treaty-making power (President and Senate)– Appointment power (President and Senate)– War powers (President and Congress)

Analyze how political institutions compete for influence in making foreign policy.15.4



• Chief of Staff: Plays an increasingly important role

• Vice-Presidents: Despite their recent prominence, they have only as much influence and authority as presidents allow

• National Security Council: A modern president’s most important source of advice: about foreign policy problems

• National Security Advisor: Intended to be a kind of neutral referee, managing the NSC and reporting to the president

The Executive 15.4



• State Department: The formal channel of information between the United States and foreign governments and serves as a resource for senior policymakers

• Department of Defense , the CIA and the Department of Homeland Security

The Executive (continued) 15.4



• Congress’s ability to influence foreign policy depends on its level of activity and assertiveness

• The level of assertiveness and activity are influenced by a range of other factors

Congress 15.4



Supportive Congress•A supportive Congress is actively engaged in foreign policy issues but does not try to assert control over them•From the onset of the Cold War around 1947 until the late 1950s, Congress was largely supportive •Relations between the president and Congress were positive

Congress (cont’d) 15.4



Strategic Congress•From roughly 1958 through 1968, a “strategic” Congress emerged•Congress was not particularly active but was willing to be assertive on selected issues•Resolutions of support for presidential foreign policy initiatives were still the rule




Competitive Congress•The period from1969 into the mid-1980s featured a divided government and a Congress that was reacting to the excessive use of presidential power•During that time, Congress challenged presidents on both the content and the conduct of American foreign policy




War Powers Resolution•The most important challenge to the president’s ability to conduct foreign policy has been the War Powers Resolution, which Congress passed over President Nixon’s veto in 1973




Reemergence of the Strategic Congress•A strategic Congress slowly began to reemerge in the mid-1980s until September 11, 2001•During this period, Congress pulled back from broad-based challenges to the president’s conduct of foreign policy and concentrated on a smaller set of highly visible issues.




Disengaged Congress•The 9/11 terrorist attacks brought back a disengaged Congress•Congress ceded much of its authority and initiative in making crucial foreign policy decisions to the president, including mobilization of resources for the War on Terror




Legislation, Funding, and Oversight•Congress most frequently uses three tools to influence foreign policy

– Legislation– Funding– Oversight

•Presidents and critics of Congress tend to see the body as an obstacle to formulating and carrying out coherent foreign policy




• The Supreme Court seldom voices an opinion regarding American foreign policy

• Over the course of its history, it has produced three types of rulings dealing with foreign policy– Controversies between state laws and treaties– Conflicts between the president and Congress– Conflicts between liberty and security

The Supreme Court 15.4



A Congress that reacts to the excessive use of presidential power is characterized as

A. competitive.B. strategic.C. cooperative.D. disengaged.

15.4



Foreign Policy and National Security Issues

• The US faces three categories of foreign policy problems– Military security– Economic – Human welfare

Outline the major foreign policy issues confronting the United States today.15.5



• Combating terrorism and stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction top the list of pressing military security issues– Terrorism– Weapons of mass destruction– Preemption and deterrence

Military Security Issues 15.5



• The most fundamental economic issue in American foreign policy is how to respond to the growing pace of globalization

• Goods, people, ideas, and money now move across national borders more frequently and with greater speed– Global economic powers– Foreign aid

Economic and Foreign Trade Issues

15.5



• Human welfare issues focus on improving the lives of people around the world– Genocide– Land mines– Human trafficking – Climate change– Other issues

Human Welfare Issues 15.5



The strategic tactic of striking first in self-defense is calledA. deterrence.B. preemption.C. retaliation.D. None of these

15.5



What do you think?Should the U.S. rescind China’s most favored nation’s trading status for human rights violations?

YES. Giving China this status was meant to be a carrot to encourage ‘good behavior’ which it has not produced.

NO. Removing the status would provoke China at this point and given the weak economy, nationally and world-wide, it would not be prudent.



What do you think?Should the US have invaded Iraq?

YES. Saddam was a destabilizing leader with significant human rights violations. The U.S. had a duty to finish what it started in the first Gulf War.

NO. A preemptive strike, without broad international support has proved unsuccessful and expensive in lives and treasure.



Credits

594 Thomas Peter/Reuters/Landov; 599 AFP/ Getty Images; 600 Larry Downing/Reuters/Landov; 601 Bloomberg via Getty Images; 605 Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI/Landov; 606 Benoit Tessier/Reuters/Landov; 609 Official White House Photo by Pete Souza; 610 Alex Wong/Getty Images; 611 AP Images/David Guttenfelder; 614 AP Images/US Navy/NATO, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Mark O’Donald; 616 Reuters/Corbis; 618 Adrian Bradshaw/epa/Corbis; 620 Adrees Latif/Reuters/Corbis; 623, top to bottom: AFP/Getty Images; Adrian Bradshaw/epa/Corbis; Howard Burditt/Corbis; Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI/Landov;AIPAC;Wally McNamee/Corbis

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