Foreign Policy and Defense
Development of Foreign Policy
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Foreign policy guides the nation’s relations
with other countries.
Principal goals of American foreign policy:
◦ 1) preserve the security of the United States
◦ 2) maintain trade and preserve access to natural
resources
◦ 3) work for world peace
◦ 4) aid democratic nations and help create
democracies
◦ 5) provide help for victims of natural disasters.
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In the early years the nation’s leaders
followed a path of isolationism.
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In 1823 the Monroe Doctrine ended the
isolationism.
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By the 1890s the United States had become a
world power.
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The United States became involved in foreign
wars in 1898, 1917, and 1941.
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After World War II the United States struggled
with the Soviet Union in the Cold War, leading
to a costly arms race between the two
superpowers.
The United States adopted a policy known as
containment to keep Soviet communism from
expanding its power.
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The Truman Doctrine in 1947 outlined the
Marshall Plan, providing economic aid to
nations threatened by totalitarian regimes.
The United States fought two wars that were
the consequence of containment:
◦ the Korean War (1950–1953)
◦ the Vietnam War (1964–1973).
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In 1989 the Soviet Union collapsed, splitting
into Russia and 14 other separate nations.
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This ended the Cold War and changed the
political environment of the world.
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In the years after the Cold War, the United
States sent troops to Iraq, Somalia, Haiti, and
the former Yugoslavia in order to protect
American trade interests, encourage
democracy, and advance human rights.
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In the Persian Gulf War, the United States
defended Kuwait against Iraq, protected
American oil interests in the Middle East.
The US began programs aimed at preventing
Iraq from developing weapons of mass
destruction.
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The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on
the United States led to President George W.
Bush’s war on terrorism and the preemptive
invasion of Iraq.
After the initial military deployment, the
United States kept a large number of troops
in Iraq and pledged long-term aid toward the
development of a stable democratic
government there.
Shared Foreign Policy Powers
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The Constitution makes the president
commander in chief, and it gives the
president diplomatic powers.
As head of state the president symbolizes the
leadership and the policies of the United
States.
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Presidents have final responsibility for foreign policy
decisions.
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Important advisers include the secretaries of state
and defense and the national security adviser.
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The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gathers and
coordinates information about other nations and
advises the president.
Presidents also consult government foreign policy
experts, trusted political friends, and cabinet
members.
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The president directs United States foreign
policy.
Congress plays an important role based on
Constitutional powers.
Only Congress has the power to declare war.
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In 1973 lawmakers passed the War Powers
Act, which forbids the president from sending
armed forces into combat for more than 60
days without the consent of Congress.
Congress can refuse to provide funds for
military action.
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The Senate must approve all treaties
negotiated by the president.
The Senate can overturn the president’s
granting of most favored nation status.
◦ Most favored nation status is a trade agreement
that reduces tariffs on goods from countries with
which the US has positive trade relations.
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Congress passes most foreign policy bills and
treaties the president proposes although it
could block presidential foreign policy
proposals and even initiate policies of its
own.
Presidents’ policies have enjoyed bipartisan
support in Congress.
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The president has advantages over Congress
in conducting foreign policy.
◦ 1) As head of state, the president is the leader of
the entire nation, and only the president can speak
for the United States.
◦ 2) The president receives advice daily from the
Department of State and the National Security
Council, in order to respond rapidly to events.
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Both the president and Congress are
influenced by public opinion.
Organized interest groups may affect foreign
policy bills.
State and Defense Departments
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The secretary of state, head of the
Department of State, advises the president on
foreign policy.
The Department of State has four main
duties:
◦ 1) to keep the president informed about
international issues
◦ 2) to maintain diplomatic relations with foreign
governments
◦ 3) to negotiate treaties
◦ 4) to protect the interests of U.S. citizens abroad.
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The Department of State is organized into six
geographic bureaus that analyze information
about specific foreign policy topics in those
regions.
More than half of State Department
employees serve in other countries.
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The United States maintains embassies in the
capitals of 136 foreign countries where U.S.
ambassadors and their staffs reside.
Embassy staff members advise the State
Department about the politics and policies of the
host government.
The United States also maintains consulates in
major cities of foreign nations to promote U.S.
business interests and safeguard travelers.
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The Department of Defense (DOD) supervises
the armed forces of the United States and
ensures that those forces are strong enough
to defend its interests.
The Founders wanted to ensure that civilians
had the ultimate authority in military affairs.
Therefore, the president and Congress
control the armed forces.
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The Department of Defense is the largest
executive department, with more than
700,000 civilian employees and about 1
million military personnel.
The Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air
Force are major divisions within the DOD.
The United States Marine Corps, under the
jurisdiction of the Navy, maintains its own
leadership, identity, and traditions.
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The president, the National Security Council,
and the secretary of defense rely on the Joint
Chiefs of Staff for military advice.
The military has used two methods to recruit
soldiers: conscription, or the draft, and
volunteer enlistments.
Women as well as men may volunteer to serve
in any branch of today’s all volunteer armed
services.
Foreign Policy in Action
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The United States has committed itself to
defending three regions of the world:
◦ 1) Western Europe and the North Atlantic
◦ 2) Central and South America
◦ 3) the island nations of the South Pacific.
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After World War II, the United States and
several Western European nations formed
NATO to protect themselves from domination
by the Soviet Union.
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After the Cold War ended, NATO’s role
changed:
◦ NATO expanded its mission to include global crisis
intervention and peacekeeping, opened
membership to former Soviet satellite nations, and
formed a partnership with Russia.
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In 1947 the United States and Latin American
nations signed the Rio Pact, a mutual defense
treaty, and in 1948 formed the Organization
of American States (OAS).
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The United States has a regional security pact
with Australia and New Zealand.
The United States also has bilateral treaties
with Japan, the Philippines, and Korea.
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The United States offers friendly nations
military support in the form of grants or
loans to buy U.S. armaments.
The United States provides loans and
technical assistance to help developing
nations.
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The United States sometimes denies benefits
to nations that follow policies it dislikes.
It does so by applying sanctions or
withholding loans, arms, or economic aid.
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The United States has, on occasion, had to
use military force to settle disputes with other
nations.
Since World War II, the United States has
committed troops in Korea, Vietnam,
Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Haiti, and
Bosnia.