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Chapter 20: Foreign and Military Policy
Preparation for the AP Government & Politics
77
Social Studies
10th Grade
04/17/2012

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Term
What were the effects of the September 11th attacks?
Definition
1. Public consciousness about international terrorism
2.Outbursts of patriotism
3.Confidence in government
4. Emergence of important fundamental questions
-How to wage a "war" against terrorism?
-How to hold other nations accountable?
-How to act when other nations fight terrorism?
-Does such a war require military to be redesigned?
5. Reemergence of classic questions
Do we only support nations that are reasonably free and democratic?
Are we the world's policemen?
Term
What was Tocqueville's theory about democratic politics?
Definition
Believed that democracies lack the ability to regulate details in important decisions, work with obstacles, follow strict guidelines, and work secretly or with patience
Term
How do foreign policy issues tend to exist?
Definition
Exist outside the realm of war and peace
Determined by distinguishing between majoritarian, interest group, and client politics
Term
What are examples of majoritarian foreign policy measures?
Definition
1. War
2. Military alliances
3. Nuclear test ban or strategic arms limitation treaties
4. Response to Berlin blockade by Soviets
4. Cuban missile crisis
5. Covert CIA operations
6. Diplomatic recognition of People's Republic of China
Term
What are the characteristics of Interest Group Politics in Foreign Policy?
Definition
Includes giving benefits to some business firms and labor unions while conferring costs on others
Term
What are examples of Interest Group Politics?
Definition
1. Cyprus policy: Turks versus Greeks
2. Tariff decisions: Japanese steel versus American steel
Term
What is an example of Client Politics in foreign policy?
Definition
Israel Policy
Term
How are Client Foreign Policy Politics classified?
Definition
Classified as benefiting an identifiable group with giving costs to the general public
Term
Who wields power in a majoritarian foreign policy?
Definition
Power held primarily by the president with beliefs and skills as the dominant figure with support, NOT GUIDANCE,from public opinion
Term
Who wields power in Interest Group/Client Politics?
Definition
Power wielded by large role of Congress
Term
Who wields power in entrepreneurial politics?
Definition
Congress wields power as a central political arena
Term
In what ways do the President and Congress struggle for authority in foreign policy?
Definition
1. President commander in chief but Congress appropriates money
2. President appoints ambassadors, but Senate confirms
3. President negotiates treaties, but Senate ratifies
4. But Americans think president in charge, which history confirms
Term
In What matters does Congress have more approval?
Definition
Foreign Policy Matters
Term
What is Wildavsky's view of the American political system?
Definition
States that system contains "two presidencies" including a weak presidency in domestic affairs and a powerful presidency in foreign affairs
Term
Where has the president has the most strength?
Definition
In international diplomacy and the use of troops in 1801, 1845, 1861, 1940, 1950, 1960s, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2001
Term
How does presidential decisiveness in America differ from that of different countries?
Definition
Presidents comparatively weak in foreign affairs; other heads of state find U.S. presidents unable to act
Term
What periods were characterized by White House Dominance?
Definition
- FDR, JFK, and Nixon
Term
What periods were characterized by leadership by the secretary of state?
Definition
- Marshall (Truman), Dulles (Eisenhower), Kissinger (Ford), Christopher (Clinton)
Term
What periods were characterized by tension between the White House and the Secretary of State?
Definition
Included Jimmy Carter vs. Cyrus Vance and Reagan vs. George Shultz
Term
How is the power of the president evaluated?
Definition
- Evaluated based on one's agreement/disagreement with policies
- Evaluated based on USSC support of extension of foreign/military powers, and reluctance by USSC to intervene in conflicts on conducting foreign affairs
Term
What is the nature of checks on presidential power?
Definition
Occurs on a political rather than a constitutional basis
Term
What are the kinds of Congressional restrictions on the president's freedom of action?
Definition
1. Limitations on the President's Ability to give military/economic aid to other countries
2. War Powers Act(1973)
3. Intelligence Oversight
Term
What are the characteristics of the War Powers Act of 1973?
Definition
a. Provisions
1.Only sixty-day commitment of troops without declaration of war
2.All commitments reported within forty-eight hours
3. Legislative veto (previously) to bring troops home
b. Observance
1.no president has acknowledged constitutionality
2. Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton sent troops without explicit congressional authorization
c. Supreme Court action (Chadha case)
1.Struck down the legislative veto
2.Other provisos to be tested
d.Effect of act doubtful even if upheld
1.Brief conflicts not likely to be affected; Congress has not challenged a successful operation
2. Even extended hostilities continue: Vietnam and Lebanon
Term
What are the characteristics of Intelligence Oversight?
Definition
1. Must notify House and Senate Intelligence committees to covert actions and intelligence activities
2. No authority to disapprove covert action
3. But "covert" actions less secret after congressional debate
4. Congress sometimes blocks covert action: Boland Amendment
5. Congressional concern about CIA after attacks of September 11
Term
What are the consequences of the increased "power" state of the U.S. after World War II?
Definition
1. President more involved in foreign affairs
2. More agencies shape foreign policy
Term
What are the faults of the role of the secretary of state?
Definition
includes difficulty in coordinating activities due to size of the job and lack of poltiical/bureaucratic loyalty to secretary of state
Term
What is the role of the National Security Council (NSC)?
Definition
Committee created by stature to aid the president in coordinating the foreign policy establishment
Term
What are the roles divided out on the NSC?
Definition
Headed by president, consists of VP, secretaries of state and defense, CIA director, attorney general, and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman
Term
What is the role of the NSC staff?
Definition
To aid in creating a National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) with a presidential signature based on the foreign policy goals of the president
Term
What were some results of the growth in influence of the NSC during JFK presidency?
Definition
- Includes rivalry between National Security Adviser and Secretary of State for foreign policy leadership
(attempted to downgrade by Reagan)
Term
What are the consequences of the foreign policy machinery?
Definition
Includes endless agitation of foreign policy issues and influence of organizational interests of important organizations on their foreign policy positions
Term
How did popular opinion shift following World War II?
Definition
Shifted from opposition to active involvement in world affairs to public support for internationalist foreign policy
Term
What were the causes of the popular opinion shift following World War II?
Definition
Resulted from a universally popular war, a successful war, and U.S. emergence as a world power
Term
What are the characteristics of backing the president?
Definition
Include public's tendency to support president in crises (rally "round in flag" in some instances), no decrease in presidential support with casualties, and American support for escalation over descalation
Term
How is mass opinion characterized?
Definition
-Generally poorly informed
-Generally supportive of president
-Conservative, less internationalist
Term
How is elite opinion characterized?
Definition
-Better informed
-Opinions change more rapidly (Vietnam)
-Protest on moral or philosophical grounds
- More liberal and internationalist
Term
Why is public opinion weak?
Definition
Because it supports presidential action without providing direction to it
Term
How is the foreign policy elite divided?
Definition
Divided into several groups creating a division in the opinion
Term
What is a worldview?
Definition
A worldview is an elite belief/paradigm of the critical problems facing the US.S. and appropriate and inappropriate ways to respond to the problems
Term
What is an iron curtain? (CHURCHILL)
Definition
Refers to the political barrier, established by the USSR, to free travel and communication between Eastern and Western Europe
Term
What is the cold war?
Definition
Referred to the nonmilitary struggle between the U.S. and its allies vs. USSR and its allies
Term
What is the domino theory?
Definition
An influential theory coined by President Eisenhower stating that if an important nation were to fall into communist hands, so too would neighboring countries
Term
What are the 4 worldviews?
Definition
Isolationism, containment/antiappeasement, disengagement, and human rights
Term
What is Isolationism? When was it adopted?
Definition
Isolationism is the view that the United States should withdraw from world affairs, limit foreign aid, and avoid involvement in foreign wars. Established after poor WWI experience
Term
What is containment/antiappeasement? When was it adopted?
Definition
The view that the United States should contain aggressive nations. Adopted as a result of WWII and Pearl Harbor
Term
What is disengagement(Vietnam)? When was it established?
Definition
A view that U.S. involvement in Vietnam had led to a military defeat and a political disaster and that further similar involvements should be avoided. Established due to Vietnam and choice of wrong worldview in conflict
Term
What is human rights? Why was it adopted?
Definition
The view that our government should act to enhance the rights of the people living in other countries. Adopted as a result of Serbian invasion of Kosovo
Term
What is a Third World?
Definition
Refers to almost any undeveloped nation in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the Middle East
Term
What is a Fourth World?
Definition
Refers to underdeveloped nations that had no oil reserves and thus had to pay heavily for imported oil
Term
What is a "Newly Industrialized Nation"?
Definition
Characterized countries that were once underdeveloped and have made rapid economic progress
Term
What effect does tradition have on the classification of a nation's power?
Definition
Bases Power based on the extent to which a nation is armed
Term
When is Military Force used?
Definition
Used in order enforce treaties, organizations and discussions
Term
What is the majoritarian view of the military?
Definition
Includes safety as a large-spread benefit, price of defense as cost, the president as Commander-in-Chief, and a large supporting role of Congress
Term
What are the characteristics of the Client view of the military?
Definition
1. Real beneficiaries of military spending--general, admirals, big corporations, members of Congress whose districts get fat defense contracts--but everyone pays
2. Military-industrial complex shapes what is spent
Term
What is the military-industrial complex?
Definition
An alliance among key military, governmental, and corporate decision-makers involved in weapons procurement and military support systems
Term
What policy resulted in semi-disarmament following WWII?
Definition
Containment Policy
Term
What was the conservative response to the fall of the USSR?
Definition
Desired to have some cuts in military while still having a strong military for a national defense if Russia emerged again
Term
What was the liberal response to the fall of the USSR?
Definition
Desired to cut defense spending, weapons procurement, and military personnel in order to divert funds to domestic social programs
Term
How is defense spending divided?
Definition
Personnel, Big-Ticket Items, Small-Ticket Items, Readiness, and Bases.
Term
What are characteristics of military personnel?
Definition
Seen to grow to include homosexuals, men, and women into military positions and change from draft to an all-volunteer force
Term
What is "don't ask, don't tell"?
Definition
A military policy in which persons entering/serving in the military do not have to reveal sexual orientation and can serve as long as they do not engage in homosexual conduct
Term
What are cost overruns?
Definition
Actual costs that are several times greater than estimated costs when buying military equipment
Term
What are the 5 reasons for cost overruns?
Definition
Includes unpredictability of cost of new items,Contractor incentives to underestimate at cost at first, gold plating, "sole-sourcing", and "start-and-stop" production
Term
What is gold plating?
Definition
The tendency of Pentagon officials to ask weapons contractors meet excessively high requirements
Term
What is the "coffee maker" problem?
Definition
The unnecessary use of fund for small items in order to fit a "need"of the military
Term
Which part of the defense budget is given the lowest priority?
Definition
Readiness
Term
What issue caused the creation of a Commission on Base Realignment and Closure?
Definition
Influence of client politics in the opening and closing of military bases
Term
What did the National Security Act of 1947 create ?
Definition
1.Department of Defense
a.Secretary of Defense (civilian, as are secretaries of the army, navy, and air force)
b.Joint Chiefs of Staff (military)
2. Reasons for separate uniformed services
a.fear that unified military will become too powerful
b. Desire of services to preserve their autonomy
c. Interservice rivalries intended by Congress to receive maximum information
Term
What was the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986?
Definition
Consisted of a defense reorganization plan that increased the power of officers coordinating the activities of different services
Term
What are the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
Definition
Composed of uniformed head of each service with a chair and vice chair appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate
Term
What is the Joint Staff?
Definition
Made up of several hundred officers from the 4 armed services creating plans for military contingencies
Term
What is composition of each of the 4 armed services?
Definition
Consists of Each service headed by a civilian secretary responsible for purchasing and public affairs and a
Senior military officer who oversees discipline and training
Term
What is the chain of command?
Definition
Consists of head of command given to the Commander-in-Chief, then to Secretary of Defense, then to various unified and specified commands
Term
How have changing circumstances make justification of expenditures complex?
Definition
- World War II and Cold War: big armies, artillery, tanks, ships, etc.
- War on Terrorism: small groups, special forces, high-tech communications, precision guided bombs, and rockets
Term
How was the role of Secretary of State been enlargened?
Definition
Includes transforming the military to be effective in fighting terrorists and coping with missile attacks by hostile nations
Term
What is SDI?
Definition
The Strategic Defense Initiative, started under Reagan, was meant to find ways to destroy incoming enemy missiles
Term
What is MAD?
Definition
"Mutual Assured Destruction" is a belief that the country could best defend missile attacks by threatening other countries with our own missiles
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