American Foreign Policy What’s our place in the world?

GOALS & TOOLS OF FOREIGN POLICY WHAT IS FOREIGN POLICY? GOALS & TOOLS OF FOREIGN POLICY

First things first… Foreign policy – a government’s plan that outlines the goals it hopes to meet in its relations with other countries Sets forth the variety of ways these goals are to be met

GOALS OF FOREIGN POLICY The United states wants to protect citizens’ safety, seeks to promote prosperity and strives to work for peace and democracy in other countries. 5 main goals: National security Stop terrorism World peace Trade Human rights & democracy

National security NATIONAL SECURITY – THE ABILITY TO KEEP THE NATION SAFE FROM HARM FOCUSES ON THE THREAT OF WAR (WAR IS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO ANY NATION’S NATIONAL SECURITY RIGHT?) Helps determine how we should deal with other nations Every part of American foreign policy has to do with maintaining our national security

President Obama’s former security council members

Stop terrorism As we know, terrorists use violence to intimidate/coerce societies or governments American foreign policy: Stop terrorism in order to keep AMERICA SAFE WORKS TO SAFEGAURD AMERICAN FOREIGN INTERESTS OVERSEAS

World peace Wars anywhere can be a threat to people everywhere Persuade countries to work together as a way to prevent war If other nations are at peace, there is little chance that the united states can be drawn into a conflict i.e. league of nations after wwi & united nations after wwii

UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL

TRADE We are a part of the global economy Trade is a necessity for the united states Trade creates markets for American goods and services…and earns profits for our businesses Maintain trade, but also access to natural resources

HUMAN RIGHTS & DEMOCRACY Encourage all countries to respect the basic human rights of freedom, justice & equality Americans believe the best way to achieve said goal is through a democracy PROBLEM BECOMES, TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE US DEAL WITH NATIONS WHO VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS? (I.E. CHINA, 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS)

Tools of foreign policy So how does the united states achieve its foreign policy goals? 6 main ways: Defense Alliances Diplomacy Foreign aid Trade measures INTELLIGENCE

defense AMERICAN MILITARY IS THE MAIN WAY THAT WE DEFEND OURSELVES Aggression – Attack or threat of attack by another country DETERRENCE – Keeping a strong defense to discourage aggression by other nations

alliances THE US FORMS MILITARY, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC ALLIANCES WITH OTHER NATIONS: M: NATO – North ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION P: OAS – ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (NORTH, CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA) E: OECD – ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (30 MEMBERS; WORK TOGETHER TO AID DEVELOPING NATIONS THROUGH TRADE)

DIPLOMACY DIPLOMACY – RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS CARRIED OUT BETWEEN COUNTRIES USUALLY CARRIED OUT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES THERE IS A SUMMIT MEETING – WHERE THE PRESIDENT TALKS ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES WITH HEADS OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS FORMAL AGREEMENTS (TREATIES) CAN BE USED TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING FROM BUILDING CANALS TO SPACE STATIONS

FOREIGN AID FOREIGN AID – A PROGRAM OF GIVING MILITARY AND ECONOMIC HELP TO OTHER COUNTRIES SINCE WWII, WE’VE GIVEN MORE THAN $500 BILLION (WITH A ‘B’) TO OVER 100 COUNTRIES ECONOMIC AID TAKES MANY FORMS – US MIGHT PAY FOR A HOSPITAL OR A DAM TO CONTROL FLOODS OR PRODUCE ELECTRICITY

FOREIGN AID…CONTINUED PRO IT’S OUR DUTY TO HELP POORER NATIONS IF WE DON’T GIVE AID, COUNTRIES MIGHT TURN TO OTHER, NON-FRIENDLY-TO-THE-US COUNTRIES FOR AID CON SOME ARGUE THAT WE SHOULD SOLVE PROBLEMS AT HOME FIRST SOME ARGUE THAT THE AID WE GIVE MAY GO TO GOVERNMENTS THAT VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS

TRADE MEASURES TRADE MEASURES – TERMS UNDER WHICH THE US TRADES WITH OTHER COUNTRIES QUOTA – STATES HOW MUCH OF FOREIGN PRODUCT CAN BE SOLD IN THE US TARIFF – TAX ON FOREIGN PRODUCTS SOLD IN THE US SANCTIONS – MEASURES TO STOP/LIMIT TRADE WITH ANOTHER NATION IN ORDER TO CHANGE ITS BEHAVIOR SANCTIONS ON IRAN SANCTIONS ON CUBA SINCE THE COLD WAR!

INTELLIGENCE INTELLIGENCE – INFORMATION ABOUT ANOTHER COUNTRY AND WHAT ITS GOVERNMENT PLANS ARE CIA – GATHERS INFORMATION AND FOCUSES MOSTLY ON COUNTRIES THAT ARE UNFRIENDLY TO THE US AND TRIES TO PREDICT HOW THESE COUNTRIES WILL REACT TO US POLICIES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, FBI, NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, ETC.

WHO MAKES FOREIGN POLICY? EXECUTIVE BRANCH, CONGRESS & PRIVATE GROUPS

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THE PRESIDENT DEPARTMENT OF STATE SETS DEFENSE POLICIES, MEETS WITH LEADERS OR OTHER NATIONS AND MAKES TREATIES AND EXECUTIVE AGREEMENTS APPOINTS AMBASSADERS DON’T MAKE DECISIONS ALONE: DEPARTMENT OF STATE ADVISES THE PRESIDENT AS WELL AS CARRIES OUT FOREIGN POLICY DECISIONS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ADVISES THE PRESIDENT (I.E. WHICH WEAPONS TO MAKE AND WHERE TO PLACE MILITARY BASES) NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL ADVISES THE PRESIDENT ON THE COUNTRY’S SAFETY – CALLED UPON WHEN US SECURITY SEEMS IN DANGER

CONGRESS SENATE HAS THE POWER TO APPROVE OR REJECT TREATIES SENATE MUST APPROVE THE PRESIDENT’S CHOICE FOR THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS CONGRESS IS THE ONLY BRANCH THAT CAN DECLARE WAR SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE & THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE HOLD HEARINGS, WRITE/STUDY BILLS THAT AFFECT OUR RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES

PRIVATE GROUPS BUSINESS GROUPS LABOR GROUPS POLITICAL GROUPS BUSINESSES THAT TRADE WITH OTHER NATIONS HAVE A DIRECT INTEREST IN FOREIGN POLICY LABOR GROUPS WANT TO PROTECT AMERICAN JOBS WANT EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE BRANCH MEMBERS TO PROTECT JOBS BY LIMITING OR TAXING CERTAIN IMPORTS (FOR EXAMPLE) POLITICAL GROUPS CUBAN AMERICANS – EVEN THOUGH THE US LIFTED THE CUBAN EMBARGO, RESTRICTING TRADE AND TRAVEL IS STILL IN PLACE, PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF STRONG CUBAN-AMERICAN SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, VOTING FOR A CANDIDATE, WRITING TO YOUR CONGRESSMEN, ETC.

SO FOR INTSANCE… THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC) BANNED COMMERCIAL WHALING IN THE 1980S ICELAND (WHOSE ECONOMY DEPENDED ON WHALING), JAPAN (WHERE WHALES ARE A DELICACY) AND NORWAY REFUSE TO GO ALONG WITH THE BAN

SO FOR INSTANCE…CONTINUED EXECUTIVE BRANCH – THE PRESIDENT MAY ASK THEIR CHIEF OF STAFF TO INVESITGATE THE SITUATION; CHIEF OF STAFF DISCUSSES IT WITH OTHER WHITE HOUSE STAFF AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE – US HAS BASES IN ICELAND (AS WELL AS JAPAN AND NORWAY) SO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MAY WARN THE PRESIDENT THAT IF TRADE IS CUT OFF, ICELAND MAY CLOSE THESE BASES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE – HAS A DIVISION SOLELY RESPONISBLE FOR PROTECTING MARINE LIFE AND REPRESENTS THE US ON THE IWC BUSINESS GROUPS – ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS MAY CONVINCE SEVERAL AMERICAN RESTAURANT CHAINS TO BOYCOTT ICELANDIC FISH INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS – PRESSURE FROM CITIZENS ON THEIR CONGRESSMENT TRANSLATED TO PRESSURE ON ICELAND AND ICELAND DID IN FACT AGREE TO GO ALONG WITH THE IWC BAN RAHTER THAN LOSE THE AMERICAN FISH MARKET

FOREIGN POLICY IN ACTION THROUGH WWII, THE COLD WAR & TODAY

FOREIGN POLICY – WWII ISOLATIONISM EXPANSION WWI WWII REALLY FOCUS ON THE US; WAR OF 1812 AND THEN OF COURSE THE MONROE DOCTRINE STRETCHES US TO DEAL WITH LATIN AMERICAN ISSUES EXPANSION SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR AND TEDDY ROOSEVELT WWI CHANGE POLICY FROM ISOLATIONISM TOWARDS EUROPE; AFTER THE WAR A “RETURN TO NORMALCY” WWII TRIED TO STAY OUT, BUT THEN DECEMBER 7, 1941 POST-WAR – COLD WAR BEGINS; ISOLATIONISM IS OFFICIALLY OVER

FOREIGN POLICY – COLD WAR CONTAINMENT USE MILITARY AND MONEY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD COMMUNISM Begins with Truman pulls us into Korea & Vietnam COOPERATION Détente – loosening of tensions between the us & Ussr 1970s-1980s Reagan & intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty (inf) END OF COLD WAR Who’s our enemy now? Help eastern Europe establish democratic governments and markets

FOREIGN POLICY – TODAY WAR ON TERRORISM SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 WAR IN AFGHANISTAN WAR IN IRAQ ISIS WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO BE INVESTIGATING! Asia Eastern Europe Latin America North Africa Russia South America Southeast Asia Sub-Saharan Africa