Summing Up US Foreign Policy 19 October 2017 by Sigrid Brevik Wangsness

Who Decides US Foreign Policy?

Who Decides US Foreign Policy? The President has several powers that make him the single most important figure in US foreign policy today, yet these powers are limited by Congress and the Supreme Court (and other important institutions and lobby groups).

Major Trends in US Foreign Policy 1. Expansionism (Comp.: pp. 77-80)  18th and 19th centuries 2. Isolationism  The leading principle until WW II 3. Interventionism/ Internationalism  Esp. after WW II, but also earlier 4. Unilateralism  The USA acting on its own 5. Moralism vs. realism

Neutrality, Isolationism and Expansionism 1776:Independence. Neutrality in foreign affairs The first century after Independence: Avoidance of war with European powers: “no entangling alliances”. 1823: The Monroe Doctrine (Comp.: pp. 81-82) “Manifest Destiny” (Comp.: p. 83) Acquired the whole continent. Expansion into Mexico in the 1840s.

Interventionism vs. Isolationism 1890s-1917: Intervention in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and several Latin American countries (Comp.: pp. 84-88) Involved in WWI in 1917 Return to isolationism in the inter- war years: The Senate rejected the League of Nations

The USA Involved in WWI in 1917

The USA Involved in WWII in 1941 Surprise military attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Interventionism and Internationalism Involved in WWII when attacked at Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941 Since WWII: No more isolationism From 1945 to 1990: Cold War (Comp.: pp. 88-92)  fight communism all over the world 1947: The Truman Doctrine The Marshall Plan

The Cold War Era, 1946-1992 1950s/60s: The Age of Containment (Comp.: p. 91) Stop communist expansion (”red scare”) 1972: China recognized (Nixon) (Comp.: p. 92) Better relations with the Soviet union 1970s/80s (post-Vietnam period ): Détente Less tension/improved relations (Comp.: p. 92)

The US–Soviet Relationship

The Cold War Era, 1946-1992 The Reagan era: US-USSR relations From “evil empire” to disarmament treaties. Gorbachev. Super power negotiations over nuclear weapons. (Comp.: p. 92) US unilateral actions: Grenada, Nicaragua, Libya: The “world policeman” helping peoples threatened by anti- American regimes…

End of the Cold War 1989: The Fall of the Wall (Comp.: pp. 92-93) 1991:The Gulf War. Backed by the U.N. The US and the USSR on the same side! George Bush Sr. Disintegration of the Soviet Union (1992) The USA as the only superpower (Comp.: pp. 93-94)

The Post-Cold War Era The Balkans: 1995: Diplomacy (Clinton) and NATO bombing to get a peace agreement in Bosnia. 1999: The Kosovo War. NATO. Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary joined NATO despite Soviet opposition.

Clinton and the Balkans

Bill Clinton vs. George Bush Clinton's world diplomacy in the Middle East, China, Africa, Russia, Northern Ireland. Until Sept. 2001: The new Bush Administration's foreign policy: Review its international commitments = refusal to sign many international treaties.  Signs of a new isolationism

September 11, 2001

September 11, 2001 The USA’s global war on terrorism 9/11 2001: Terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C. The USA’s global war on terrorism (Comp.: pp. 95-97) Support by the UN and NATO Oct. 2001: Bombing of Afghanistan to take Bin Laden

Moralism vs. realism Origin of the USA: A refuge for all people, a model of democracy, a sense of moral superiority, a unique mission 1917: “Make the world safe for democracy” 1947: The Marshall Plan: Humanitarian concerns, but also economic revival 2003: Like the Cold War, the Iraq War was seen as a battle between democracy and tyranny, good and evil

Invasion of Iraq 2003: Invasion of Iraq – a national security issue? No UN resolution Antagonized many old allies, but support from the UK, Spain, Portugal Massive public protests

The War on Terror To what extent did 9/11 change US foreign policy? The Bush Doctrine: (Comp.: p. 96) 1. Unilateralism 2. Pre-emptive warfare 3. Preventative action/ preventive measures 4. Regime Change

The War on Terror The War against the Taliban Why considered necessary? The War against Iraq = The “coalition of the willing” Why so controversial? (Comp.: pp. 95-96)

Response to the War on Terror Reactions from Abroad From sympathy to strong anti-Americanism: Arrogance of power Invasion of an independent nation (Iraq): lack of progress in the war Deaths and destruction

Response to the War on Terror Reactions from Abroad Credibility gap 1. Historical inconsistencies 2. Lack of trust: no WMD (Comp.: pp. 96-97) 3. Assumed moral superiority vs. torture, breaking human rights (Guantanamo)

Response to the War on Terror Reactions from the American Public George Bush’s loss of popularity: polarization The costs of the Iraq war: both in human and material terms The public misled? To what extent has the war on terror been a success?

The Foreign Policy of President Obama and President Trump What were some of the main issues President Obama had to deal with? (Comp.: p. 97) Mr. Obama’s achievements and failures in foreign policy? (Comp.: pp. 98-101) Current US Foreign Policy? (Comp.: pp. 102-104)