Chapter 17 Section 1& 2: Foreign Affairs and National Security By: Mr. Thomas Parsons

Domestic vs. Foreign For more than 150 years, the American people were chiefly interested in domestic affairs. Or what was happening at home. Foreign affairs, or the nation’s relationships with other countries, were of little or no concern.

Isolationism to Internationalism Isolationism, the purposeful refusal to become generally involved in the affairs of the rest of the world, was American policy during this time. Since World War II, however, U.S. policy has featured a broadening of American involvement in global affairs.

Foreign Policy A nation’s foreign policy is made up of all the stands and actions that a nation takes in every aspect of its relationships with other countries. The President, the nation’s chief diplomat and commander in chief of its armed forces. He has traditionally carried the major responsibility for both the making and conduct of foreign policy.

The State Department The State Department is headed by the secretary of state (John Kerry). Who ranks first among the members of the President’s Cabinet. An ambassador is a personal representative appointed by the President to represent the nation in matters of diplomacy.

Duties of the State Department The State Department issues passports, certificates issued to citizens who travel or live abroad. Diplomatic immunity is usually applied to ambassadors and means that they are not subject to the laws of state to which they are accredited.

The Defense Department This chart shows the chain of command of the American military services.

Army The Department of the Army The army is the largest and the oldest of the armed services. The army consists of standing troops, or the Regular Army, and its reserve units—the Army National Guard and Army Reserve.

Navy The Department of the Navy The navy’s major responsibilities are for sea warfare and defense. The U.S. Marine Corps, a combat-ready land force, are under the auspices of navy command.

Air Force The Department of the Air Force The air force is the youngest branch of the armed services. The air force’s main responsibility is to serve as the nation’s first line of defense.

The CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a key part of the foreign policy establishment. The CIA is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting information for the President and the NSC. A full range of espionage, or spying, activities are undertaken by the CIA.

The INS The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) deals with persons who come to the United States from abroad to live and work, and who may become naturalized citizens. The INS enforces immigration laws and requirements and administers benefits to immigrants.

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the independent agency which deals with the nation’s space policy.

The Selective Service The Selective Service System handles, when necessary, the conscription—or draft—of citizens for service in the armed forces.