Dr Andrew Glencross ~ andrew.glencross@eui.eu

American Foreign Policy

Government and Politics of the USAHillary Term, Lecture 25

Hillary Term Essay

• Submit essay online via www.turnitin.com and hard copy to Jane Suiter - Deadline: 5pm, Monday 10th of March (Hillary term wk 10)

• Choose 1 of 3 titles; strict 2,000 word limit (excluding bibliography)

– “In practice, Congress functions not as a unified institution, but as a collection of semi-autonomous committees that seldom act in unison“. Discuss this view, and explain your response.

– What are the consequences of pluralism and federalism for the policy-making process in the US? Evaluate these consequences with reference to at least two policy areas.

– Discuss the role played by money in US Presidential elections. Elaborate your response in the context of attempts at campaign finance reform since the 1970s and the 2008 Presidential election.

• Details on course website - http://uspoliticstcd.pbwiki.com/Course-assessment

Required reading…

–McKay chap. 18–Singh chap. 14Additional resources…

• Patrick Callahan, Logics of American Foreign Policy (PL-427-439)

• John Lewis Gaddis, The Cold War (909.82 P51)

• Robert Kagan, Dangerous Nation: America in the World, 1600-1898 (HL-294-106)

Readings for today

Definitions

• Realism: ‘the belief that states are primarily motivated by the desire for military and economic power or security, not ideals or ethics’

• Idealism: ‘the belief that a state should export its values and institutions to benefit other countries and international society’

• America’s Global Role• Current Issues in American Foreign Policy• How is Foreign Policy Conducted? • Interest Groups and Foreign Policy• Evaluating the Recent Success of Foreign

Policy• Foreign Policy and the 2008 Election

Agenda

America’s Global Role

• Military

• Economic

• Cultural

America’s Global Role

• Called upon to intervene in case of war between states (Israel/Palestine, Iraq/Koweit) or state collapse, e.g. Haiti, Somalia

• Entangled in a complex web of alliances, often based on military aid e.g. Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Columbia

• Result is often support for dubious regimes and rulers e.g. one-party Taiwan, House of Saud, Mubarak to name but a few examples…

But being a Superpower comes with Responsibilities

Current Issues in American Foreign Policy

Current Issues in American Foreign PolicyThe role of other actors

• Allies: can be a liability as much as an asset e.g. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia

• Antagonists: China competing for natural resources and influence in Pacific, Russia opposing US influence in E. Europe and missile defence plans.

• Not the End of History: some thought end of Cold War meant triumph of US market democracy, now looks like liberal democracy has serious competitors

• Non-state actors: asymmetric warfare, “Kalashnikov revolution”

How is Foreign Policy Conducted?

• Primacy of President – Commander in Chief and Negotiates Treaties

• Supporting Role for Congress – declares war, since 1973 has to be consulted before Pres commits troops, appropriates funds for security and defence, ratifies treaties

• Importance of Secrecy and Strategy – president has exclusive access to CIA and NSA intel, also has foreign policy team including National Security Advisor

How is Foreign Policy Conducted?

• Truman – Containment of Soviet Union, continued by Reagan

• Nixon – ‘we shall look to the nation directly threatened to assume the primary responsibility of providing the manpower for its defense’

• Clinton – ‘where our values and our interests are at stake, and where we can make a difference, we must be prepared to do so’

• George W. Bush – unilateral pre-emption and ‘US makes no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbour them’

The Importance of Presidential Doctrine

Interest Groups and Foreign Policy

• Highly Controversial• Clearest examples:

support for Israel, sanctions regime against Cuba

• Question is are these an abuse of democracy and against US interests?

• Embargo – began 1962 by Executive Order, longest in mod history, prevents trade and travel with Castro’s regime

• Cuban Exiles – 2 million, mostly around Miami, several waves of immigration from Cuba including 1980 Mariel Boatlift, maintain visceral anti-Castro campaign, sometimes use violence including in US

• Embargo Reinforced in 1996 to cover foreign subsidiaries of US firms after shooting down of planes flown by exiles

• Effects: Condemned by UN and Pope for impoverishing economy, resented by US agribusiness and EU for preventing exports

• Why: 2 Cuban-American US Senators, four in House of Representatives, reverse side of Federalism – interest groups wield disproportionate influence when committed to an issue bulk of people do not care about

Interest Groups and Foreign PolicyUS Relations With Cuba

• Aid – largest recipient of economic and military aid since WW2, $140b

• Diplomatic support – vetoed 32 Security Council resolutions criticising Israel

• Nuclear Proliferation – turned a blind eye to acquiring atomic weapons

Interest Groups and Foreign Policy

US Relations With Israel

Interest Groups and Foreign Policy

• Consequence – Middle East instability, including Israel-Palestine conflict and spread of nuclear weapons

• Explanation – partly Israel lobby, e.g. AIPAC, but also supported by Evangelicals (to pave way for second coming) and NeoCons (to protect a democracy). So have coalition of interest groups behind US Israel policy

• War on Terror? Mired in Afghanistan, no more attacks on US soil, islamic terrorism spread to Pakistan even Europe, still no exit strategy in Iraq

• Nuclear Proliferation? Seems successful in N. Korea but not Iran

• Securing Oil? Prices nearing all-time high, switch to economy drive and alternative energy policy

Evaluating the Recent Success of Foreign Policy

Evaluating the Recent Success of Foreign Policy

• Middle East? no sign yet of light at the end of the tunnel

• Spread of Democracy? Pakistan in turmoil, Afghanistan unstable, return of Russia to authoritarianism

• War on Drugs? no sign of dwindling supply after two decades

Evaluating the Recent Success of Foreign Policy

• Is the US More Secure After Bush?

• Are its Interests Abroad better Protected? Continuing attacks on US interests and citizens

• Are its Allies Safer? Pakistan

Foreign Policy and the 2008 Election

• Clinton and Obama tussling over “experience”• Republicans stress need for military action; do

not exclude use of nuclear weapons • Democrats stress need to build bridges with

allies and international institutions• Iraq seen as litmus test of candidates’ foreign

policy stance• Clinton who voted for use of force recanted. • McCain closely associated with “surge” policy

Next Week

• Foreign Economic Policy (read MHW chap 16, Singh chap 15)

• Health and Social Policy (read McKay chap 16, Singh chap 17)

• Keep an Eye on the Primaries

• 19 February: Hawaii Caucus (D), Washington and Wisconsin