U.S. Foreign Policy

What is “foreign policy”• Goals that nations pursue in relation to

other international actors– Goals

• Survival

• Territorial Integrity

• Economic Security

• Promoting Democracy and Human Rights

– Actors• States (nations)

• IGO (Intergovernmental Organizations: UN NATO)

• NGO (Nongovernmental Organizations: MNCs, al-Qaeda)

President’s Foreign Policy Helpers

• Who are part of the foreign policy bureaucracy?– National Security

Council

– Intelligence Agencies• CIA

• FBI

• Military agencies

President’s Foreign Policy Helpers

– State Department• Sec. of State: Hillary Clinton

• Goals– Promote peace

– Promote democracy

– Promote trade and development

President’s Foreign Policy Helpers

• Defense Department– Sec. of Defense: Robert Gates

– Goals• Protect the country from attack

• Provide trained or ready military forces

Military Commands

History of Foreign Policy• Internationalism (Cold War to 1980)

– WWII: US and USSR emerge as dominant powers (bipolar)• Soviets expand in Europe, Asia, Africa

– U.S. Policy of “Containment”

– Truman Doctrine: U.S support free people

• Nuclear Missiles and 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis

– Detente (1960s and 1970s): Easing of Tensions• Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

• Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (to reduce nuclear weapons)

• Pres. Carter (1977-1981): human rights; but foreign policy failures

• Weakening U.S. nuclear missile capability

History of Foreign Policy• Internationalism (1980-1991)

– Ronald Reagan• Built up nuclear arsenal

• Supported military groups overthrowing communist governments

– Fall of Communism• USSR: weakened, cannot protect communist governments

– East European people revolt against communist governments

• USSR collapses in 1991:

• Mono-polar world: U.S. only major power

History of Foreign Policy• Internationalism (1991-Date): Mono-polar world

– Pres. Bush and Clinton• U.S. promotes democracy in E. Europe and Russia

• Gulf War 1991

– Pres. G.W. Bush• 9/11 and War on Terrorism

– Bush Doctrine» Root out terrorism» US and NATO countries enter Afghanistan and Iraq» Promoting democracy» Promoting capitalism

• North Korea explodes nuclear bomb and Iran developing nuclear bomb

History of Foreign Policy• Pres. Obama

– National Security Focus• Defeat terrorism (Afghanistan War)

• Down plays spreading democracy

– Multilateralism: engage other nations in solving world problems• Korea: Group of Six

• Use UN to build coalitions to solve problems– Korean Sanctions

• Use force as a last resort– Doesn’t want to use the military as a form of leverage

– Date of withdrawal from Afghanistan

North Korean Nuclear Problem?__________________

Power in World Politics

Nuclear Powers

North Korean History• North Korea

– Communist Dictatorship: Kim Jon il • Son: Kim Jon-un

– Economy• Command: low industrial/agricultural

output

• GDP: $22 Billion (2002)

• Population: 23 Million

– Military• 4th Largest Army

• 31% of budget goes to military

Brief History• 1993

– Clinton deal• N. Korea can develop peaceful nuclear power and gets oil

• N. Korea agrees not to develop nuclear weapons

• 2003– N. Korea abrogates Nuclear Proliferation Treaty;

demands non-aggression pact with U.S.

• 2006– Detonates first nuclear bomb

• 2007– Agrees to end nuclear energy program

Brief History• 2008

– Restarts nuclear program

• 2009– Test second nuclear bomb

• 2010– N. Korea torpedoes S. Korean war ship: 46

killed

– U.S imposes sanctions on luxury goods to N. Korea

– November• U.S. scientist visits new enriched uranium plant

• N. Korea attacks disputed Yeonpyeong Island

U.S. Policy Options

• Handout aid and security assurances if N. Korea agrees to dismantle nuc program

• Military strike on nuclear facilities

• Economic sanctions

• Allow N. Korea to develop nuclear weapons