1. What is required of leaders? Why do nations interact with each other?
Making Foreign Policy
What is required of leaders? Why do nations interact with each other?

2. The President and Foreign Policy
What are the goals of foreign policy?
foreign policy- A nation’s plan for dealing with other nations  
Presidents hope to achieve several goals:
1: national security - the ability to keep the country safe from attack or harm.
2: build trade with other nations –
important to a strong economy.
creates markets for American products.
provides jobs for American workers.
3: promote world peace.
4: advance democracy around the world.
Promoting democracy and human rights in other countries encourages peace.
helps protect our own national security.

3. The Foreign Policy Team
The president leads the way in trying to achieve these goals.
He does not work alone, though.
helped by close aides in the White House like the National Security Advisor.
gives advice to the president.
Large team also works on foreign policy.
The State Department
The Defense Department
The National Security Council
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
They provide important background information.
Officials in these organizations give their ideas to the president.

4. Congress Versus the President
President: the president is the commander in chief.
Can send troops into battle.
Congress: Only it can declare war.
can stop the president from using the armed forces in certain ways.
Congress alone can spend—or hold back—money for defense.
Congress and the president have often competed over who controls the war powers.
Constitution doesn’t clearly state which has more power.

5. The Tools of Foreign Policy
The president and Congress carry out foreign policy in several ways.
Uses several methods.

6. Treaties and Executive Agreements
Treaties - Formal agreements between the governments of two or more countries. 
Example - North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
In this pact, the United States, Canada, and many nations in Western Europe promised to defend one another if attacked.
Senate must approve any treaty by a two-thirds vote.
The president can work around the Senate by making an executive agreement. 
executive agreement - an agreement between the president and the leader of another country.
Often trade or having the armed forces of nations work together.

7. Appointing Ambassadors
The president appoints about 150 ambassadors.
Each must be confirmed by the Senate.
represent our nation to other nations.
Only sent to countries whose governments we accept. (good relationship)

8. Foreign Aid
Foreign aid consists of money, food, military help, or other supplies given to other countries.
Example - Marshall Plan. The program helped Western Europe rebuild after World War II.

9. International Trade
economic agreements with other nations-agreements cover what products may be traded and the rules for this trade.
Sometimes the president chooses to block trade with a nation to try to convince it to change its policies.  
trade sanctions. These trade barriers stop or slow trade with another nation in order to punish it.
Example - embargo. This is an agreement by a group of nations to stop trading with a target nation.
Tariffs- These are taxes on goods that are imported, or bought from other countries.
Congress also must approve the treaties that allow the United States to join trade groups.
Examples - North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) & World Trade Organization (WTO).

10. Military Force
Presidents sometimes decide they must use the armed forces to carry out a foreign policy decision.
Many times they have sent troops to trouble spots around the world.
has been done even when Congress has not declared war.