Foreign Policy AP U.S. Government and Politics

Roots of U.S. Foreign and Defense Policy Before WWII, the U.S. was a mostly isolationist country. – The U.S. was concerned with its internal development and tried to avoid European entanglements. Since WWII, the U.S. has become an internationalist country. – The United States is now deeply involved in world affairs. Since the end of WWII, the U.S. has not been totally at peace. Involvement in the Cold War led the U.S. to adopt a policy of containment focusing on blocking Soviet ambitions.

The Cold War Era During the Cold War, a bipolar power structure developed in the world. – The world was dominated by two powers. Involvement in the Cold War and the belief in containment led U.S. foreign policy to change. – The turning point in U.S. foreign policy was the Vietnam War where the U.S. became involved in an effort to stop the spread of Communism. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to the development of a unipolar power structure in the world, with the U.S. dominating.

Modern Foreign Policy – At the end of the Cold War, President G.H.W. Bush advocated for multilateralism, in which major nations should act together in times of crisis. Multilateralism was the dominant foreign policy philosophy throughout the 1990s. – It was successful in some cases, but in other cases it failed. – In 2001, George W. Bush declared that he would reduce American military presence abroad and have the U.S. not participate in the Kyoto Protocol or the ICC. After the 9/11 attacks, Bush changed his stance. – He asked for help in a multilateral “war on terror” while still opposing Kyoto Protocol and the ICC.

The first act in the war on terrorism was an attack on Afghanistan, which resulted in the toppling of the Taliban government. – In 2002, George W. Bush labeled Iran, Iraq, and North Korea the “axis of evil.” Bush announced the preemptive war doctrine, an idea that the U.S. could attack a potentially threatening nation even if the threat had not reached a serious or immediate level. – In 2003, U.S. forces invaded Iraq in what was essentially an act of unilateralism. As the Iraq invasion dragged on and U.S. casualties mounted, public opinion became less supportive of the Iraq war. – When the U.S. invaded Iraq, the operations in Afghanistan began to deteriorate.

The Afghan government was ineffective and the Taliban regrouped, regaining control over parts of the country. – After taking office, President Obama deployed additional troops to Afghanistan with the goal of stopping the Taliban, training Afghanistan’s army and police, and provide security for the people of Afghanistan. Obama planned on beginning to withdraw troops in 2011, but many analysts believe that this is not enough time to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan. – Wars of this type do not lend themselves to quick and tidy battlefield solutions. In addition to Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. has to be concerned with North Korea (has nuclear weapons) and Iran, which is in the process of developing them.

The Military Dimension of National Security Policy U.S. defense spending is far higher than any other nation – U.S. defense spending was over $600 billion. U.S. military forces are trained for many different types of military action. – Nuclear war is a threat in the modern world. The U.S. promotes a deterrence policy, which believes that nuclear war can be avoided if each side in the conflict has the ability to destroy the other with nuclear weapons. – The U.S. hasn’t fought a conventional war since WWII. The U.S. military is designed to fight two medium-sized wars simultaneously, if necessary.

– Unconventional (Guerrilla) War is the type of war the U.S. is fighting in Afghanistan. Insurgents use guerrilla tactics including hit-and-run techniques, roadside bombs, and suicide bombings. They also will kill civilians who side with the Afghan government. – The focus is to win over peoples “hearts and minds.” Despite having special forces units, the U.S. military for the most part is not equipped or trained to fight unconventional wars. – The attacks of 9/11 thrust the U.S. military into a new kind of war – a war on terrorism. Modern terrorism is transnational terrorism, as it transcends national borders and targets people and locations other than the ones directly at issue.

America’s war on terror is aimed at groups, such as al-Qaeda, rather than at nations. – Since al-Qaeda is a non-state actor, it complicated the task of locating and destroying it. The war on terrorism lacks sharply defined battlefronts and is waged through both military attacks and intelligence gathering. – Recent arrests of suspected terrorists have occurred in the U.S. Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America and were the result of non-military agencies, leading some to believe that the main role in the war on terrorism should not be assigned to the military. As a result of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the U.S. passed the Patriot Act, a controversial piece of legislation which gave the government expanded powers to try to identify and stop terrorists.

The Politics of National Defense – In nearly all military initiatives of the past half-century, Americans have supported the war at the outset. If a war begins to seem endless, public support erodes. – Examples: Vietnam, Iraq War policy is decided by the President and Congress in consultation with top experts and military officers. – Of these, the President has the most say. – He is closely advised by the state department and secretary of state. The defense industry also has a say in war policies. – Dwight D. Eisenhower warned against the “military-industrial complex.” – He claimed that the military establishment, the arms industry, and the members of Congress from states that depend on the arms industry all benefit from increased defense spending, and Americans need to be aware of their influence in policy making.

The Economic Dimension of National Security – National security is also an issue when it comes to maintaining a strong position in the global economy. The U.S. relies on other countries to meet Americans’ production and consumption needs. – As a result, the U.S. has to exert global economic influence. Broad goals of the U.S. in the world economy include: 1. Sustain a system of trade that will promote prosperity at home. The American economy depends on international commerce more than ever. – Economic globalization – the increased interdependence of nation’s economies.

International commerce works best when free trade is practice between countries. – Some policymakers argue for protectionism, in which immediate needs of domestic producers are placed ahead of free trade. 2. Maintaining access to oil and other natural resources. Oil has a major influence on foreign policy. Oil price increases have put pressure on the U.S. to produce more oil domestically. 3. Assisting Developing Nations Industrial nations try to help developing nations grow. – The U.S. provides developmental assistance to poorer countries. Many Americans feel the U.S. spends too much money on foreign aid.

A Challenging World The U.S. faces a wide variety of foreign and defense policy challenges. – Many analysts see the U.S. war on terrorism stretching on for decades to come. – The challenge of a global economy also looms. The U.S. dollar has lost strength. Some analysts see the U.S. economy bouncing back, while others see America’s financial excesses and oil dependency driving a long-term decline.