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Chapter 7 / Section 3:Chapter 7 / Section 3:Making Foreign PolicyMaking Foreign Policy

I. The President and Foreign PolicyI. The President and Foreign Policy

• A. Foreign policy A. Foreign policy is a nation’s overall plan for is a nation’s overall plan for dealing with other nations. The basic goal of dealing with other nations. The basic goal of American foreign policy is American foreign policy is national securitynational security, , the ability to keep the country safe from the ability to keep the country safe from attack or harm.attack or harm.

• B. International trade B. International trade is another goal and is is another goal and is vital to economic prosperity. Trade can create vital to economic prosperity. Trade can create markets for American products and jobs for American markets for American products and jobs for American workers.workers.

• C. C. A third goal is promoting A third goal is promoting world peaceworld peace. . Even distant wars can disrupt trade and Even distant wars can disrupt trade and endanger U.S. national security.endanger U.S. national security.

• D. D. A fourth goal is to A fourth goal is to promote democracy promote democracy and and human rights human rights around the world.around the world.

• E. E. The executive branch includes a large The executive branch includes a large foreign-policy bureaucracy. It includes the foreign-policy bureaucracy. It includes the State DepartmentState Department, , Defense DepartmentDefense Department, , Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence Agency, and, and National National Security CouncilSecurity Council..

• F. F. The president and Congress share the The president and Congress share the power to conduct foreign affairs. power to conduct foreign affairs. The president is the The president is the chief diplomat chief diplomat and and commander in chiefcommander in chief, but Congress , but Congress has the power to has the power to declare declare warwar, , prohibit certain military prohibit certain military actions actions and spend – or and spend – or withhold - money for defense.withhold - money for defense.

• G. G. The Constitution does not make clear The Constitution does not make clear how the executive and legislative branches how the executive and legislative branches can use their powers. As a result, the branches can use their powers. As a result, the branches compete for control of foreign policy.compete for control of foreign policy.

• H. TreatiesH. Treaties are formal agreements between are formal agreements between the governments of two or more countries. the governments of two or more countries. Some, such asSome, such as NATO NATO, are agreements among , are agreements among nations for mutual defense. The Senate must nations for mutual defense. The Senate must approve a treaty by a two-thirds vote. approve a treaty by a two-thirds vote. However, the president can make an However, the president can make an executiveexecutive agreementagreement with the leader of with the leader of another country without Senate approval.another country without Senate approval.

• I. I. AnAn ambassadorambassador is an official representative is an official representative of a country’s government. The president of a country’s government. The president appoints ambassadors, with Senate approval. appoints ambassadors, with Senate approval. Ambassadors are sent only to countries where Ambassadors are sent only to countries where the United States accepts the government as the United States accepts the government as legally in power.legally in power.

• J. J. The United States gives foreign aid in the The United States gives foreign aid in the form of money, food, military assistance, or form of money, food, military assistance, or other supplies to help other countries.other supplies to help other countries.

• K. K. The president makes agreements with The president makes agreements with other nations about what products may be other nations about what products may be traded and the rules of trade. Sometimes the traded and the rules of trade. Sometimes the rules include rules include trade sanctionstrade sanctions, or efforts to , or efforts to punish another country by imposing trade punish another country by imposing trade barriers. Another punishing tool is the barriers. Another punishing tool is the embargoembargo – an agreement among a group of – an agreement among a group of nations that prohibits them all from trading nations that prohibits them all from trading with the target nation.with the target nation.

• L. L. Congress takes the lead in imposing tariffs on Congress takes the lead in imposing tariffs on imported goods and in joining international trade imported goods and in joining international trade groups. One such trade group is the groups. One such trade group is the North American North American Free Trade AgreementFree Trade Agreement (NAFTA). (NAFTA).

• M. M. As commander in chief, presidents may use the As commander in chief, presidents may use the military to carry out some foreign policy decisions military to carry out some foreign policy decisions that could involve deploying armed forces or that could involve deploying armed forces or launching missile attacks. This powerful tool must be launching missile attacks. This powerful tool must be used with care.used with care.

GROUP WORK:GROUP WORK:•Essay: Essay: What are four What are four

main goals of American main goals of American foreign policy?foreign policy?

ANSWERANSWER Protect national security, Protect national security,

promote international trade, promote international trade, world peace, and world peace, and democracy!democracy!

EXIT STRATEGY:EXIT STRATEGY: