1. Foreign & Defense Policy
Overview of Chapter 20

2. Pop Quiz 20
Name 2 members of the National Security Council besides the President and vice President.
Name one of the worldviews described in the text.
What percent of our military today is volunteer?
What term describes the practice of asking for every possible bell and whistle in new equipment?
What is the job of the BRAC Commission?
In what building complex is DOD headquartered?

3. Types of Foreign & Defense Policy
Majoritarian politics: Widely distributed benefits and widely distributed costs “We’re all in this together” (ex: declaring war and military alliances)-President controls
Interest Group politics: Groups compete with each other for costs and benefits (ex: who gets contract)-Congress mainly has control
Client politics: Washington gives aid to groups that that do business abroad (ex: policy toward Israel)-Congress mainly has control
Entrepreneurial politics: Congress carries out investigations when scandals hit (SS prostitute scandal)

4. Constitutional & Legal Context
Power over foreign affairs shared by president and Congress; creates struggle
President Commander in Chief, Negotiates treaties
Congress declares war, controls purse strings & Senate by 2/3 approves treaties
Americans consider president in charge of foreign affairs
Have sent out troops over 125 times
Have formally declared war 6 times

5. Chain of Command Important agencies/departments:
State Dept., Defense Dept., NSC, & CIA
Presidents today rely on both Secs. also on NSA
President receives more approval from Congress on foreign matters than domestic
President is much stronger than Founders imagined (ex.: T.J. and the pirates; Abe blockades Southern ports; Reagan in Grenada)
President has much less power over troops and foreign affairs than leaders in other countries, though.

6. Foreign Policy: The Machine
Coordination of foreign & defense policy managed by NSC – Chaired by the Pres. With the VP, Sec. of State & Defense, CIA Director, Chairman of JCS, and Attorney General; headed by the NS Advisor
NSC brings options before president and implements his decisions
Pres.’s decisions are issued through a National Security Decision Directive (NSDD)
Consequences of NSC foreign policy :
Rivalries of agencies worsen rivalry with leg. branch
Organizations’ interests affect the positions they take

7. Interpreting Power of Presidents
SCOTUS rarely gets involved in disputes over foreign policy
Biggest check on Pres. is Congressional Powers of Purse but these have never really been used-only threatened
Important restrictions on Presidents since Vietnam:
Limits on aid to other countries
Boland Amendment- Prevented aid to Nicaraguan Contras
War Powers Act 1973
Notify Cong. within 48 hours
Bring troops home in 60 days if no cooperation from Congress
Must bring troops home if Congress passes a concurrent resolution cutting off funding
Oversight by House/Senate Intelligence Committees
Get reports from CIA on covert and other missions

8. Public Opinion
WWII led to internationalism-U.S. became dominant world power
Public often changes their minds out of deference to Pres.’s authority and desire to support country in foreign conflict AKA “rallying around the flag”
President must have public trust
Elite opinion usually differs from public opinion
Changes more rapidly
Leaders usually more liberal
Support economic aid, reducing tariffs, defending allies
Public usually worried more about protecting jobs at home than overseas matters

9. Worldviews (Paradigms)
Perception of problems facing US in the world & how to respond
Isolationism: Opposed to getting involved in others’ wars; stemmed from bitterness about WWI
Containment (anti-appeasement): Push back any nation it sees as threat to our/allies power & safety
Disengagement: Don’t get involved in a conflict without exit strategy; Conflicts must be winnable
Human rights: We’re obligated to help others who have been wronged or harmed (often occurs during genocide or oppression)
Pre-emption: Take the threat out before they can strike US

10. What factors Influence the growth or decline of the defense budget?
Crisis in war can influence the budget
Political Party matters in voting for conflict approval.
War disapproval by public (such as the second term of George W. Bush) matters as to how elections are decided.

11. The Military Budget Has remained constant as part of GDP
Many demand that “peace dividend” be shifted to domestic programs
Others argue defenses must stay strong to prevent nuclear proliferation & terrorism
Our military is an all-volunteer force! No draft since 1975! Young men still must register with Selective Service
Debates have arisen over women & gays in military-Obama’s policy’s have expanded both roles.

12. The Military Budget What else do we get for our money?
Big ticket items
Lead to cost overruns, underestimation to gain bid, gold plating, sole-sourcing, & delays
Small ticket items
Overruns caused by special needs of common items like the coffee maker
Readiness
Easy to cut, but often dangerous
Bases
Which bases should be closed? BRAC decides

13. Military-industrial complex
The Military-Industrial complex is a concept used to refer to the relationship between legislators, the armed forces, and the industrial sectors that support them.
These relationships include political contributions, political approval for defense spending, lobbying to support bureaucracies, and legislation and oversight of the industry.
It is a type of iron triangle.
This includes corporations and contracted manufacturers like Northrop Grumman, Academi and Lockheed Martin

14. Chain of Command in DOD
Command structure of Dept. of Defense redefined by the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986
Chain of command
President
Secretary of Defense (Chuck Hagel)
Sec. commanders of Army, Navy & Air Force
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff & Service Chiefs of Staff are responsible for readiness of U.S. military. They serve as President's military advisers, but are not in the chain of command.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in US. (Gen. Martin Dempsey)

15. Chain of Command in DOD

16. Terrorism as a reality Discuss Boston Marathon attack.
What policies can we pursue to prevent future attacks?
Which is a bigger threat: Domestic or foreign terrorism?
Which is harder to prevent?
What do we do to feel safer?