Am. Gov. Final Exam Review - Week 15-16: Foreign and Military Policy

Week 15-16: Foreign and Military Policy

·         Explain how American foreign policy is set.

·         Demonstrate understanding of the importance of the president’s role in foreign policy

·         Outline a rationale for going to war Outline a position on when the United States military should be called overseas to intervene in a situation.

·         Explain the characteristics of an activist government and its consequences.

KEY FACTS:

·         The great issues of national diplomacy and military policy are shaped by majoritarian politics.

·         Majority opinion is weakly defined.

·         Elite opinion is powerful but divided.

·         Foreign policy is designed to give the public control.

·         The military budget is influenced by interest groups.

Discussion Points:

-       Is American foreign policy set by public wishes or elite views?

-       Elite views – most Americans are uninformed, and disagree with the elite. Yet, they will rally around the Pres when he sends troops overseas.

-       Why has the pres become so powerful in military affairs?

-       He is the Commander-in-Chief. The Supreme Court has supported him. If he has already sent troops, it makes it difficult to say no.

-       Why do we only go to war against some dictatorships and not others?

-       Should our foreign policy be based on American interests or human rights?

Key Facts from Chapter 20:

Foreign Policy & Military Policy

I.                    Two great issues in American Policymaking shaped by majoritarian politics (politicians compete for votes in order to attain the power they need to create policy)

a.       National diplomacy

b.      Military policy

II.                  How are the policies shaped?

a.       Through majoritarian politics (politicians compete for votes in order to attain the power they need to create policy)

                                                               i.      political ideology – plays an important role

                                                             ii.      “Interest groups”:

1.       Exercise influence on certain issues only

a.       Free trade

b.      Allocation of military contracts

c.       Other issues that engage their interest

2.       Intervene when military budget is spent on services and military contractors

                                                            iii.      Majority opinion

1.       Difficult to define

2.       Generally approves of the US playing an international role

3.       Certain cases, would prefer the US to stay home and MIOB (Mind its own business)

4.       When troops are sent overseas, Americans generally support government decisions and “support our troops.”

                                                           iv.      Predominantly influences military budget creation

b.      Elite Opinion

                                                               i.      Plays a powerful role—more powerful than majority opinion

                                                             ii.      Divided into four worldviews – (2-4 are deeply at odds)

1.       Isolationist

a.       Formerly popular

b.      Less-common today

2.       Containment

3.       Disengagement

4.       Human Rights

                                                            iii.      Disagreement over:

1.       Whether we should have stayed in Vietnam,

2.       Driven Iraqi troops out of Kuwait,

3.       Given aid to Bosnia

4.       Launched an air campaign in Kosovo

III.                How are the policies organized?

a.       In order to give citizens control

b.      Dominant public figure : President Obama

                                                               i.      Assisted by the National Security Council

1.       Secretary of State

2.       Secretary of Defense

                                                             ii.      Maintains “civilian control” over the military

                                                            iii.      Issues orders through the Secretary of Defense (Robert Gates)

c.       Joint Chiefs of Staff—Planning and Advice

Key Questions:
1. How is the current "kinetic military action" in Libya similar to the Iraq War of 2003-present?

2. The cost of intervening in Libya is already at over $500 million, and President Obama's administration estimates it will cost $40M a month going forward. Is it worth these costs? Explain.

3. Hypothesize what will happen to Libya if Colonel Gaddafi is deposed or dies.