To Accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, and Texas Editions American Government: Roots and Reform, 10th edition Karen O’Connor and Larry J. Sabato  Pearson Education, 2009  Chapter 19 Foreign and Defense Policy

Theories of Foreign Policy  Isolationism, or avoiding foreign entanglement.  Unilateralism, or acting without consulting others.  Moralism, or placing an emphasis on morality.  Pragmatism, or taking advantage of situations for gain.

Early U.S. Foreign Policy  Constitution gives national government power.  President makes treaties, Congress declares war.  Early nation hesitant to involve itself in foreign affairs.  British impressment leads to 1807 Embargo Act.  Conflict gives way to War of  Monroe Doctrine attempts to stop European expansion.

U.S. as an Emerging Power  Adoption of protectionist tariffs.  Belief in manifest destiny.  Expansion beyond the Western Hemisphere.  Spanish-American War cements U.S. as colonial power.

Early Twentieth Century  Intervention in Latin America under Roosevelt Corollary.  Eventual involvement in World War I in  Wilson advocates post-war idea of collective security.  Embodied in attempt to form League of Nations.  Interwar years characterized by high tariffs.

World War II and Its Aftermath  U.S. becomes involved in war after Pearl Harbor attack.  War fought on two fronts, Europe and Asia.  Post-war movement for peace leads to United Nations.  Bretton Woods Agreement and the IMF and World Bank.  Signals movement toward multilateralism.

Cold WarCold War and Containment  Attempts to contain spread of communism.  Truman Doctrine to aid countries fighting communism.  Marshall Plan to aid countries rebuilding after war.  Establishment of North American Treaty Organization.  Outbreak of war in Korea.  U.S. military strategy now based on deterrence.

Cuba, Vietnam, and Détente  Cuban Missile Crisis starts new period of Soviet relations.  Vietnam War to prevent spread of communism.  Struggle in Vietnam illustrates need for change.  Improvement in U.S.-Soviet relations known as détente.  President Carter places emphasis on human rights.

Cold War Ends  U.S.-Soviet relations are tense in early 1980s.  Reagan Doctrine promises aid to groups fighting Soviets.  Leads Soviets to reconsider foreign policy.  Relations improve again, and soon after Cold War ends.  Soviet Union dissolves.

Searching for a New World Order  Iraq invades Kuwait in  Operation Desert Storm launched under Powell Doctrine.  Generally considered a success.  Clinton faced with issue of engagement or enlargement.  Adoption of North American Free Trade Agreement.  Creation of World Trade Organization.

War on Terrorism  September 11, 2001 al-Qaeda attacks.  War in Afghanistan against the Taliban.  Bush Doctrine of preemptive strikes.  Iraq invasion suspecting weapons of mass destruction.  War in Iraq continues today.

Executive Branch Policy Making  President is most powerful foreign policy actor.  Aided by a variety of bureaucratic agencies.  Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security.  Joint Chiefs of Staff.  National Security Agency and Council.  Central Intelligence Agency.

Congressional Policy Making  Develop and implement policy.  Conduct oversight investigations.  Ratify treaties.  Approve appointments.  Make appropriations.Make appropriations  Use powers under War Powers Act.

Other Actors  Military-industrial complex.  News media, which acts as a filter.  Public opinion, interest, and action.Public opinion  Nongovernmental organizations.

Twenty-First Century Challenges  Promoting democracy in the Middle East.  Resolving the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Identifying transnational threats to peace.  Awareness of technological warfare.

Unilateralism and Multilateralism  Unilateralists think U.S. should always protect itself.  This may mean defying the U.N. or other organizations.  Multilateralists say U.S. cannot always make the rules.  Should try to build international consensus for action.

Figure Cold War Alliances  Back

Figure U.S. Defense Spending  Back

Figure Most Important Problem  Back