government for blair

who are the prominent actors in the international system?

the states (united states & Mexico) Organizations (the UN, world trade org.) multinational firms (apple, exxon mobil) transnational activists (Jimmy Carter, Bono, Bill Gates) non-governmental organizations (Red Cross)

What is a "No-deal Brexit" and what are the expected problems that it may cause?

"No-deal Brexit" is an immediate withdrawal from the EU without a plan or any agreements between the two parties. Britain becomes a third party state. The results would include: Default of traditional trading rules, customs, tariffs, and hard boarders Might cause food and medicine shortages Might cause violence and chaos Problems with british citizens living in EU and EU citizens living in Britain But the UK would get immediate control of migration and borders - which it wants

How have powerful economic interests captured state power and fashioned economic trade policy to further their interests through the Open Door policies of the 19th century?

"Open door" policies = equal access for all firms to global market; no preferential treatment But their is STATE-CAPTURE, which means that large businesses have disproportionate influence on US foreign policy ex: treasury lended money to Mex so Wall Street wouldn't go out of business

What is trump's grand strategy?

#1 = America first. Redistributing wealth back to the US Wants "mercantilism," which is American production WITHIN national boundaries, subsidizing national industries Protectionist trade policies, which means reconsidering trade alliances and withdrawing from NATO and TPP Skeptical of Paris Climate, NATO, TPP, NAFTA, Iran Nuclear Accord Reassertion of American sovereignty Rebuilding the military and securing the borders RETENCHMENT, which is pulling back the troops His "America First" strategy is a mix of Offshore balancing, isolationism, and restraint 4 goals: Protect homeland Promote American prosperity Preserve peace by rebuilding the military Advance American influence abroad [All four nested in defense of national sovereignty]

What are some historical examples of isolationism?

#1: George Washington's farewell address, which warned against foreign entanglements, recommends detachment from European politics #2: Republican successors to Wilson in the 1920s, who remained limited involvement with Europe, relied on private economic influence instead of political-military power #3: FDR's first term: Withdrew the US from European politics to save the US from Great Depression #4: Less isolationism during the cold war, more isolationism after the collapse of the USSR, less isolationism with AL Qaeda Now trump? He's a big fan of resurgent isolationism. He wants to avoid expensive military engagements abroad

how did US entering WWII change the world

- In military terms the arrival of american troops meant new access to american credit and more war material built by the american economy- shifted the distribution of power on the continent- and pushed the german military to opt for peace- After the failure of their spring offensive in 1918- they viewed the war as unwinnable, so american entry helps determine which side wins the war- War in wilson's worldview shaped the composition of the POST war political order in 3 important ways 1st- the defeat of germany, and austria-hungary and the ottomans meant the end of their multinational empires. In their wake a series of new independent states emerged 2nd- Wilson hastened these political changes by championing self determination - or the right of subjected peoples or nationalities to create a new state or political unit 3rd- Wilson also erected a collective security system- called the league of nations - in which it members would pledge to band together and counter through force or economic sanctions - any attempt to alter the new political and territorial status quo in europe

Describe some examples of congressional oversight over foreign policy.

-Call more hearings -Engage in public criticism (control how the media portrays a situation) -Pass legislation that restricts Presidential action -Set conditions on spending bills to implement policy Divided gov = calls more hearings = more media = more criticism

How did the Articles of Confederation and its concentration of power in the states shape American foreign policy?

-it illustrates the reciprocal relationship between war and the development of internal institutions within the founding of the US - gave Congress the control of diplomatic relations, requisition of money and troops, to coin and borrow money, and to settle state disputes -left commercial regulation and taxation in the hands of the states 1). Institutions matter in shaping the conduct of foreign policy Loose union among states contributed to the political & military weakness of the US relative to Europe 2). Fears of external security threats played a critical role in the development of domestic institutions of the US Raised national consensus necessary to ratify the constitution Congress was granted to control diplomatic relations, requisition money and soldiers from states, and settle disputes among states Criticism → any authority not granted to the central government lay with in the states Each state set their own tax structure Article of Confederation → left union weak & vulnerable to attack Raised point that a strong central government = necessary to enforce common commercial policy External issues = more important Article 2: "each State retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this confederation delegates to the US, in Congress assembled" Foreign concerns helped shape FP in ratifying Constitution. Gave federal gov more power than it had under article of confederation

What were the 3 main ideas from the Schweller reading?

1. America has began to construct and defend liberal international order since 1945 2. Main components of Trump's GS are - nationalist/mercantilism - no more mulitilateral deals - no free rides 3. This order has been shifting, China and Russia are stronger and the US is deteriorating

What role does the Constitution designate for Congress in foreign policy?

1. Declare war! 2. Fund armed forces 3. Block a prez's treaty with 2/3 vote to ratify

What are some of the domestic nonstate groups that can influence US foreign policy? What are their foreign policy interests?

1. Different domestic groups possess different foreign policy interests 2. Competition among them (often settled through elections in democracies) helps set the national interest 3. Domestic groups provide resources for foreign policy (like tax revenues spent on the military) 4. Implementation of foreign policies depends on presidential leadership over bureaucracy 5. Sustaining the domestic costs (opposition) from foreign policy

What are some historical examples of selective engagement?

1. Eisenhower Administration: wanted to push more responsibility for defense of Europe on actual Europeans to allow for the obligations of the Cold War to be sustainable at home -less groundtroops -more contribution from other allies -more reliance on NUCLEAR WEAPONS to deter Soviet Union and also way to prevent total isolationsim -preserving peace but a change from Truman -Eisenhower thought that full blown isolationism made war more likely with the Soviet Union 2. George H.W. Bush -cautious because of the impending collapse of the USSR -relied more heavily on NATO to reassure USSR and manage the German unification -wanted to stabilize and preserve THROUGH traditional alliances

What are the 3 components of grand strategy?

1. Interests: policies that the US pursues with other governments determines if the scope is REGIONAL or GLOBAL 2. Threats: the principal threats; determine the geographic scope: NARROW or EXPANSIVE? Determines the identity of the threat and if linked to other threats 3. Needs: unilateralism or multilateralism Ex of uni: preserving American freedom of action Ex of multi: sharing resp with other governments, like building a coalition to fight wars

What are some historical examples of liberal internationalism?

1. Woodrow Wilson -used both military force and alliances -wanted to set up international institutions -championed the League of Nations, which is an international security administration that calls for arbitration, not war -Marshall Plan after WW2 [gave over $12 billion in economic assistance to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II and stop communism from reemerging] believed in self-determination (which is actually anti-liberalism)

2 ways that structure influences the international system:

1. constrains or encourages by setting costs and benefits of actions 2. constitute characteristics of actors like identity

What were the military, political, and economic effects of the U.S. entrance in World War I?

1. defeat of the countries ended multinational empires 2. championship of "self-determination" 3. League of nations formed

4 international factors that determine outcomes reached in the international game =

1. governments must select from range of interests to set national interest 2. governments must transfer resources as a redistribution of personal wealth, which shapes distribution of military spending 3. implementation depends on effectiveness of political control of bureaucracy 4. capacity of government to gather public support and set political "costs"

How did Western expansion in the mid-1800s contribute to the emergence of the United States as a global power?

1. it increased land, which is a source of wealth and place for the expanding population 2. natural resources available: provided economic prosperity and increased mobility 3. basis for economic growth, provided economic foundation to become a global power

What forces promoted American expansionism in the middle of the 19th century?

1. population and economic growth 2. technology, specifically the Railroad 3. ideology, manifest destiny 4. domestic politics over slavery -southern wanted slavery legal in new states

what are the 4 things the monroe Doctrine introduced?

1. sphere of influence in LA 2. anti-colonialism 3. protection of democracy 4. basis of American imperalism

How does interagency political competition shape US foreign policy? Be sure to understand the different manifestations of this dynamic such as mixed messages coming from different parts of the foreign policy bureaucracy and turf wars between different agencies.

1. the management of responsibility between the president, national security advisor, and agencies they must all be coordinated (the executive branch agencies) for share of info and maintaining symmetric goals example of non-coordination = Saddam Hussein given mixed responses to invasion of Kuwait. Dick Chaney defended Kuwait, spokesman backed off, State Dept reaffirmed, then Ambassador said "no comment." All this confusion led Saddam to actually invade Kuwait, which contributed to war with Iraq (this was also the first Persian Gulf war in case they word it like that) 2. agency heads with different foreign policy goals - they compete for influence with the prez. COlin Powell, Dick Chaney, Donald Runsweld all had different goals for the war in Iraq in 2003 and even about post-war reconstruction. Powell = neoconservative, thought that the Iraq transfer of power would go smoothly. It actually led to post-war chaos and hatred of the United States 3. Interests not fueled by assessment of best option for national interest but instead for maximizing resources of agency -bureaucratic agencies trying to "spend all resources" to increase their budget EX: Air force versus the Army during the cold war, fought to increase their defense budgets

Discuss how the Iran Nuclear Deal illustrates the systemic nature of international politics. What components of the international system contributed to the completion of the Iran nuclear accord? What components of the international system undermined this agreement?

2002: President George W. Bush's state of the union address lumped Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as a part of an axis of evil that threatened the world These regimes pose a growing danger The US will provide preventative actions, even war against these states By equating Iran with Iraq as axis of evils, then invading Iraq in 2003, stationing 100,000 troops in iraq in 2009; positioned itself for a new war Iran responded by developing a nuclear weapon program Given that Iraq did not possess nuclear weapons in 2003 and was invaded, Iranian acquisition of nuclear weapons could provoke another american attack This response reinforced american worries that weapons would threaten Israel and Saudi Arabia In the summer of 2008, Israel even pressued the bush administration to approve a military strike Consequently, the completion of the Iran Nuclear Accord in 2015 preserved peace among US, Iran, and Israel The actors of the Iran nuclear accord are iraq, iran, and the united states The structure is the accord that said that Iran would stop its nuclear activity as long was the U.S and other powerful states lifted economic sanctions imposed on Iran's economy -The US encourages structure with its military actions -it also constitutes structure with the actors becoming a part of an international cooperative agreement When the United States withdrew from the accord in 2018 the accord started to unravel -The actions of the United States encouraged structure of the rest of the actor's actions toward the accord -The actions of the United States also constituted by leaving the agreement and no longer being a member

According to the McKeon and Tess reading, how might Congress reassert its role in foreign policy?

3 ways to reassert: 1. reassert themselves in trade policy instead of ceding responsibility 2. urge Democrats to hold hearings and provide more congressional oversight 3. pass legislation, particularly budgetary - no more support for Saudi war in Yemen - no more huge military spendings - insert amendments to "must-pass" bills to hurt defense budgets Main argument: Congress has shown a recent trend towards inactivity in foreign policy making and abandoned its constitutional role in active foreign policy making. Argues that Congress has abandoned a central constitutional responsibility, which is active participation in any decision to use military force or go to war Pre-9/11 - Very involved ex:in the Vietnam war ; Post-9/11, reluctant, deference to POTUS Should form more independent policy assessment, challenge president, and form coalitions within Congress to challenge the president. Congressional failure to uphold constitutional responsibility: Libya UN mandate focused on protecting civilians in Libya U.S. went against it by trying to change the political sphere in the area Gaddafi fell which allowed ISSIS to freely roam Congress should have been more skeptical Syria Program to train rebels against Assad's regime Instead of compromise w/Assad or direct military force Congress was unwilling to pay any political costs towards Syria -> Resulted in Congress doing nothing another way ISSIS was strengthened

What is the prisoner's dilemma? How does the prisoner's dilemma help to illustrate the difficulty of cooperation between political actors in the international system?

A game theory that shows why two completely rational individuals might not cooperate, even if it appears that it is in their best interests to do so. Individuals focus on their self-interests despite if cooperation might benefit both actors more. So, it's a game of strategic dependence. Both implicate each other, neither do, or one implicates the other. Prisoners dilemma helps illustrate the difficulty of cooperation because some actors rather focus on what benefits them rather than what benefits another actor. It shows that despite the gain from cooperating, actors sometimes still chose to forget that working together can at times help both actors. For example, let's look at Trump's approach to the trade deficit with China (US-China are players) OR his desire to build the border against mex (Dem-Rep pol parties are players). In both situations, when something stops going completely his way, Trump fails to recognize that cooperation could help BOTH parties

What is an Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF)? According to the Golan-Viella reading, what are some of the legal and political challenges created by the 2001 AUMF that justified military force against Al Qaeda and the continued use of the 2001 AUMF as the legal basis to use military force against ISIS?

AUMF 2001- Authorizes the use of military force against those responsible for or aided the attacks on September 11, 2001 (Al Qaeda) has been used as the legal basis for the war in Afghanistan, the continued detention of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, and the targeted-killing campaign that the United States has conducted in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere; continues to be used extensively in Iraq AUMF 2002- it served as the legal basis for a disastrous war in which the United States overthrew Saddam Hussein's regime in early 2003; has not been used as the basis for any military activities since the end of 2011. Background: Obama argues in Fall 2014 that 2001 AUMF generates authorization for war against ISIS because it is a successor organization to Al Qaeda in Iraq, so his authority to fight ISIS can be traced back to the 2001 AUMF Golan-Vilella argues: Need to revisit 2 key AUMFs Should repeal 2002, war in Iraq over in 2011 so law and authorization are no longer relevant Congress and Administration should revisit 2001 AUMF and name organizations that have legal grounds to use military force (law is too vague and grants executive indefinite independence/authority to wage war against enemies not yet defined or can be legally defined in secret) The continued presidential reliance on the 2001 AUMF is undermining the democratic process in the United States - congress would be ceding its constitutional responsibilities to check the power of the executive branch (blaming both parties) expands the war against terrorism indefinitely beyond what was originally envisioned in 2001 calls for repeal of 2002 and revisiting of 2001

What is the relationship between the US-China trade war and the upcoming 2020 presidential election? How might these two factors affect each other?

According to Nate Silver, the one thing Trump really has going for him in his presidency so far, is his booming economy and low unemployment rate. Now that there is a trade war, the economy is in an economic slowdown and many people can feel the direct effects from the tariff retaliation. Silver states this is his biggest risk yet. Many people who have lost their jobs or their livings will most likely be opposed to Trump in the 2020 election. The trade war might cost Trump his presidency. Trade war may spark a global recession and typically incumbent presidents have lost reelection when there is a recession

What are the two main components of the international system?

Actors Structure

Explain the differences between actors and structure in the international system.

Actors: individuals or groups of individuals that share common purpose or collective identity examples: states firms/organizations political parties Structures: connects and orders actors, allocates power among them and shapes interactions examples: traffic laws world trade organization laws Iranian Nuclear Accord United Nations (and how it allocates power by granting special influence)

Who are the actors and structures of the Iranian Nuclear Accord?

Actors: p5+1 Germany group (the group that wants to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons) Structures: the global distribution of military and economic power arrayed against Iran serves as structural constraint

What are the components of Posen's alternative grand strategy?

Alternative: limited core missions, scale back alliance commitments, avoid counterinsurgency (Instead use airstrikes, drones, special ops to go directly to terrorist), cut military spending (Cutbacks would help lock in this more restrained foreign policy by reducing the U.S capacity to engage in foreign policy) 3 "missions" 1. preventing the rise of a rival power (if we do this, we reduce alliance commitments) 2. preventing global terrorism 3. no more nuclear weapons (avoid counterinsurgency)

According to Fareed Zakaria (covered in lecture), why was America slow in expanding from a continental power to a global power?

America took so long because there was hesitation because of the institutional consequences of the civil war -fiscal restraint was there -interstate expansion, national centrality, and more military spending all takes time and $ to implement

What are the constitutional foundations of presidential leadership in foreign policy making?

Article 2 of the constitution! 2.2 = "Commander in Chief Clause" is used to legitimate presidents use of force around the world without congressional declaration of war 2.1 = grants "broad executive powers," which can be interpreted as foreign policy Any powers not explicitly given to another branch lies with the president (due to their executive powers) President needs ⅔ of majority in senate for any treaty President can use veto power to counter any attempt at defunding Forces congress to come up with its own ⅔ in both houses to use their power

How did the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Bosnian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip lead to the outbreak of World War I? What role did the threat of nationalist uprisings in the Austro-Hungarian empire play?

Assassination of FF pushed Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia for a number of reasons- Largely centered around how the Serbian nationalist movement of which Princip was a part of threatened the Austria-Hungary Empire with dissolution- If serbia sought to incorporate SERBS in Bosnia -The Romanians in Hungary might try to do the same - in other words several small territories of the austria-hungarian empire might seek their own independence if serbia was allowed to secede- Austria-Hungary went to war to try and squash nationalist movements from breaking off from the empire- This local Balkan conflict then quickly sparked a world war because of a complicated network of Interlocking alliances in Europe- Russia anticipated that Germany would fight on the side of its Ally Austria-Hungary- Consequently Russia began to mobilize its army by calling up Reserve troops and moving them To the borders with both countries During the July crisis- Germany responded by declaring war on Russia and its ally France- Germany's plan to defeat both France and Russia rested on a quick and decisive defeat of France by capturing Paris (the Schlieffen plan)- This military gamble led the German military to attack France through Belgium- the occupation of Belgium then brought Great Britain into the war on the side of France, russia, and serbia

What was President George W. Bush's 2002 national security strategy? What are its central components/foundational arguments? What are the major threats to American interests that it identifies? How did 9/11 change the national security threats facing the US?

Bush's national security strategy = selective engagement -> primacy clearly stated US foreign policy interests as 1) goal: SECURITY: protect the homeland 2) goal: PROMOTE FREEDOM around through the world through the spread of democracy and free markets Foundational arguments: - terrorists are leveraging our technology to gain access to weapons of mass destruction - there is a NEW threat environment; the United States must now aggressively prevent radical terrorism - New foreign policy: Doctrine of Pre-Emption > change in "force posture" from defense to offense > serves as warning statement to terrorist countries > Axis of Evil now jusitifies war against Afghanistan and Iraq Document describes: Statement about government's responsibility to protect the US from terrorists The US has to be more willing and ready to use military force because of radical terrorist and nuclear warfare Doctrine of preemption: willing to strike first Radical shift from cold war when we waited for the soviet union Commitment to counter terrorism Going after rogue states; don't care about their citizens (axis of evil) Support for fostering development and growth Poverty is bad for american interest because it is disenfranshcinement both politically and economically helps recruit terrorists (like gangs) Criticism of foreign aid programs; not working Reforming foreign bureaucracy IMPORTANCE OF NATO IN AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY FIGHTING AGAINST ROOTS OF TERRORISM (poverty, AIDS)

What does it mean to say that international relations is marked by a condition of anarchy? Why does this aspect of the international system make cooperation among international actors like states so difficult?

Condition of anarchy → because political authority is predominantly held by states, the international system lacks sources of supranational authority over states that can reliably direct or control their behavior. Anarchy threatens cooperation by increasing the challenges associated with enforcing interstate agreements Absence of authority = no source of punishment when states negotiate in bad faith/revoke their promises States may also choose to not make agreements in the first place which is not cooperative basically, the way I interpret it is that the condition of anarchy = the fact that WHO is gonna police states when states all police themselves? who is going to enforce all of their cross-border agreements? in the absence of this all-powerful authority, international relations will always exist in this level of anarchy

structures ___ actors. give an example

CONSTITUTE social identity of UT students democratic community of states

NATO and the EU have ______ effects

CONSTITUTIVE

how does Congress shape opinion on public policy?

Call more hearings Open congressional committee meetings on some element of foreign policy Engage in public criticism Through hearings or access to media Pass legislation that restricts Presidential action Sets conditions on spending bills to implement policy

What is the collective action problem and how does it relate to the provision of public goods? How does the collective action problem relates to foreign policy and the provision of something like national defense?

Collective action problem (similar to prisoners dilemma): people acting independently produce a worse outcome then if they were to cooperate CAP relates to the provision of public goods because public goods are non excludable and non rivalrous which means you cannot prevent someone from consuming a public good once it has been supplied but some people still consume these goods even though they do not pay for them (free riders) CAP relates to FP and the provision of something like national defense because some people don't pay taxes but are still under the protection of the military every day by living safe in the US

what is the international system?

Complex global aggregation of people, organizations, ideas, the natural world, and rules that structure how people and organizations interact

more explanation about controversy and executive orders

Controversies: It jumps the congressional part of implementing foreign policy and creates conflict domestically and weakens the United States internationally. The legislation often creates a lot of controversy and is not made into law.The opposition within congress leads the President to pursue executive order policy.The battle over immigration shows that generally the policies made through executive order will stay if the people demand it. DACA is still in place despite Trump's crackdown on the program but Trump's muslim ban was shut down twice by congress. DACA was also shut down but only in certain state congress.

What were the main elements of the deal that British Prime Minister Theresa May struck with the EU to execute a negotiated "soft" British exit from the EU? Why were so many political elements within the British legislature opposed to this deal that it ended in failure?

Elements of the "soft" Brexit: Ireland and N Ireland will have no hard border and EU customs will remain in place Great Britain would continue to pay 80 million to EU for at least a couple more decades Stay in the EU despite having no representatives in the EU to make decisions Rights and citizenship for kids in the UK All of this would remain until the end of 2020 Political elements: She needed 320 votes in parliament which is nearly impossible Her governing coalition was slim and she lost the support of N. Irelanders which she depended on Hardcore "Brexiters" said her exit weakened the whole idea of Brexit The people who wanted to remain in the EU (labour/conservative parties) wanted a completely new vote on the issue so they plainly voted no She then resigned after her failure due to too many political divides and Borris Johnson took over

What is foreign policy?

foreign policy = the actions and statements of the US government that are directed towards a foreign audience FP is directed towards ALL actors Other governments shape their behaviors based on their expectations of US interests/future actions

What are some of the controversies associated with using executive orders in the implementation of foreign policy, particularly over immigration? What political challenges encourage the President to pursue such a policy strategy? How does the battle over immigration policy illustrate tensions between the executive and legislative branches?

Executive order = an official order from the President alone that has the force of law but not its permanence. -they're happening with increasing power and frequency - Congress can't vote on them, but can pas laws that "undo" them -Courts can overturn if "unconstitutional" Controversy: president can make these laws but they have no permanence and future presidents can replace or remove them entirely. - overrides the checks and balances. 2014 Exec Order on immigration would have provided temporary legal status to 4-5 million undocumented immigrants in the US. The order was blocked in state courts arguing President overstepped his authority. Obama argued that he had prosecutorial discretion (can decide where to devote resources (law enforcement) given limited resources). Conservative judges from SC asked did it violate the take care clause (executive branch needs to take care that laws passed by Congress are faithfully executed). Trump issued 2 different versions of an executive action restricting immigration from certain Muslim majority countries. Both blocked in court claiming they were unconstitutional because they discriminated based on religion. Currently considered by federal court of appeals

How did Washington's Farewell Address set a precedent of isolationism for the United States? What was Washington's fear regarding international cleavages and American domestic politics?

Focused on steering clear of alliances with any portion of the foreign world/ it is better to have little connection as it is less drama. Being seperated allows for less conflict Washington's Farewell Address warns us of going to war with Europe Isolationist grand strategy

How did France help to secure independence for the American colonies from Great Britain? What role did the Declaration of Independence play in signaling to France that the American colonies were worth supporting in its drive for independence?

France gave the largest amount of support during the American Revolution with funding and troops The declaration of independence was an irrevocable signal that communicated the legitimacy of the independence movement to the French and thereby earned their support. Before that, France was worried that the Americans would try to accept a deal from Great Britain if a lucrative one was given, launching French into yet another expensive war

What is grand strategy? Does it have any relationship with domestic partisanship?

Grand strategy is the set of overarching ideas that define foreign policy. > identifies the policy means to achieve these goals > provides a conceptual toolkit > GS is the foundation for NI which drives FP Grand Strategy plays a coordinating role, akin to partisan ideology. It's comparable, but NOT completely aligned. For example, let's look at the Republican party. 2 GS 1 > military force to promote democracy, the GS of PRIMACY as used by Bush 2 > renegotiation of alliance relationships, like TRUMP, less military Ex: Rand Paul= Less military action & Cuts to foreign aid budget (like Trump) Ex: John McCain = Supporter for the use of force to promote democracy abroad (like Bush)

According to opinion polls, what were the main reasons British voters gave for either support the "leave" position or the "remain" position in the Brexit vote?

Remain Concerns with harming the British - negative economic consequences Lesser concerns were workers and environmental rights and an attachment to Europe and the European project Leave Economic concerns of sending so much money to the EU To limit immigration and regain british sovereignty To control their own laws and borders - halt the influx of migrants

How does Congress shape foreign policy? What is partisanship? How does partisanship affect congressional action on foreign policy?

Institutional structure shapes how foreign policy gets made Institution has rules that structure how 2 individuals or groups w/ contending interests reach a collective choice, institutions matter when groups have competing or different interests Operative Institutions War Powers Act Constitution Elections Elections cause the president and congressmen to be skeptical about supporting or negating military intervention because if it goes bad then it is on the person who backed the foriegn policy - most people take moderate positions so they will be able to win the votes for election and what you need to get done An example of this would be Hilary Clinton Congress can cut or increase foreign aid or the budget for a defense project. It can set restrictions on the length of time American troops are deployed during an international crisis by refusing to pay for them beyond a certain date. partisanship = Partisan is a committed member of a political party or army. In multi-party systems, the term is used for politicians who strongly support their party's policies and are reluctant to compromise with their political opponents. (partisanship = orientation of a voter_ Partisanship affects the "checking" on the presidency that the congress does - if it's a DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, Congress is better at checking the prez. Why? -electoral incentives -election of oppositional party -info advantage from the President, he's more likely to share information if the political environment is competitive Right now, we have a united republican government

How do domestic institutions influence foreign policy decisions by mediating political conflict and bargaining among different domestic groups?

Interest group influence in FP function of its ability to organize lots of voters Organizational capacity (and influence) set by ability to transcend free riding- National defense example: if relied on voluntary contributions to collective good like defense, would be undersupplied. Instead, need coercion to enforce contributions.

Discuss the Iran nuclear accord in light of the impact of actors and structure within the international system. How did the decision by the United States to include Iran in the "axis of evil" along with Iraq and North Korea affect Iran's incentives to pursue nuclear weapons, particularly after the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003? How did the Iran nuclear accord affect Iran, the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq?

International structure influences international outcomes EX: Outbreak of war Construction of international cooperative agreement EX: Iranian Nuclear accord 2002: President George W. Bush's state of the union address lumped Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as a part of an axis of evil that threatened the world These regimes pose a growing danger The US will provide preventative actions, even war against these states By equating Iran with Iraq as axis of evils, then invading Iraq in 2003, stationing 100,000 troops in iraq in 2009; positioned itself for a new war Iran responded by developing a nuclear weapon program Given that Iraq did not possess nuclear weapons in 2003 and was invaded, Iranian acquisition of nuclear weapons could provoke another american attack This response reinforced american worries that weapons would threaten Israel and Saudi Arabia In the summer of 2008, Israel even pressued the bush administration to approve a military strike Consequently, the completion of the Iran Nuclear Accord in 2015 preserved peace among US, Iran, and Israel

Discuss how the Iran Nuclear Deal illustrates the systemic nature of international politics. What components of the international system contributed to the completion of the Iran nuclear accord? What components of the international system undermined this agreement?

Iran Nuclear Deal = has actors + structure Iran nuclear accord reflects political goals/economic capabilities as well as structural constraints. summary = Iran agrees to end the program for nukes for 10 years in exchange for sanctions relief from the p5+1 states (China, France, Germany, Russia, UK and US). Combined economic power of p5+1 allowed for this. Global distribution of military and economic power structurally constrained Iran and their ability to secure their good(nukes). Strategic needs: Iran as a threat to US Legacy of war: Balance power in the Middle East Thinking systematically about Trump backing out of the agreement: hard to revise and/or withdraw because it's an international agreement. The international system is constraining US policy-pressures Trump admin to uphold an agreement that it doesn't agree with. Because it is a international agreement, if one was to revise or withdraw, they would need agreement from original signatories.

What is isolationism?

Isolationism = constraint. Reduces the role of US in the world stage and in foreign interventions. It's a non-intervention type of grand strategy. Says that American threats are minimal. We're bordered by 2 weak neighbors, and the major oceans surrounding us make it too hard and too expensive for other countries to invade us. Additionally, our possession of nuclear weapons is a major deterrent Believes that military intervention CREATES threats, and resources are scarce (America first!)

What is liberal hegemony? What are some of the risks or shortcomings of such a grand strategy that Posen identifies?

Liberal hegemony is a mix of liberal internationalism and primacy (a bipartisan GS) Posen argues that the US has pursued a bipartisan grand strategy that fuses liberal internationalism and primacy Followed this strategy since the end of the cold war Labels this "liberal hegemony" Means the president Bush, Clinton, and Obama have all sought to secure hegemonic position for the US and international politics that support values associated with a liberal system (such as the promotion of democracy, open- markets, and multilateral organizations) Posen says the shortcomings are: 1) Anti-American balancing; other countries balancing their leverage against us, primarily talking about China and Russia 2) Provocation of unending nationalism conflicts (like how we're trapped in the Middle East) 3) Too tolerant of "shirking" (allies rely on the US and they themselves provide insufficient resources) -Europe and Japan rely on us for security

How did the threat posed by Napoleon influence the development of the United States (both through the Louisiana Purchase and the War of 1812)?

Louisiana Purchase France granted Louisiana to Spain as defeat from the 7 years war Defense of Louisiana = too costly for French amidst war in Europe Pending resumption of European war creates need for additional revenue for the French Lead up to War of 1812 Napoleonic wars that dragged the US into war with British in 1812 America gained ⅔ of exports from Europe Illustrates importance of commercial interests to grand strategy British seeked to cut off all trade Policies provoked anti - British backlash in US Jefferson (US President) closed US ports to British naval ships in 1807 & embarged trade with Britain and France Congress supported a war resolution against Britain in 1812 War of 1812 Republican neglect of US military left them weak Ended in a draw after 2 years Ghent treaty → treaty that effectively restored pre war territorial status quo

What were the main principles of the Monroe Doctrine? Why did the U.S. assert such an ambitious foreign policy statement at this time? What was Great Britain's role in enforcing the Monroe Doctrine?

Main principles: The western hemisphere was no longer open for colonization Drew a line between colonies and newly independent latin american states, extending American protection against European interference only to the latter Dual message: asserted sphere of influence for US over latin america Would refrain from participation in European wars and would not disturb existing colonies in the Western Hemisphere Why did the US assert the Monroe Doctrine when it did? Latin american independence movements Developments in europe Napoleonic wars, holy alliance (russia, Prussia, austria), and fear of return of monarchy Balance of power system in Europe allowed for great assertiveness British help US too weak to enforce the MD but GB and the British Navy enforced it for them (would help keep spain out of powers) GB role in enforcing the Monroe Doctrine was its Navy. The Us had major economic ties to great britain and they were willing to aid as it also benefited their own self interests BRITISH NAVY ENFORCED IT!

What are some of the central policy claims and arguments contained in Obama's West Point Speech? In what ways, is this a statement of Obama's grand strategy?

Obama's west point speech is a great example of a grand strategy statement Defines the national interest as = counterterrorism! Calls for broader protection of HUMAN dignity, cites moral responsibility to help people on a global scale and NI is also = rebuilding the national economy What are his means by which to accomplish this? 1. pushing back against Bush's grand strategy; we can't rely solely on military force! Military intervention just creates broader backlash 2. increase utilization of FOREIGN troops, not our own. Give local militaries and fighters aid, but don't physically put our people there (this is better for public support) Threat #1? Is terrorism he critiques isolationism: "It's a global world and we're impacted" he critiques primacy/liberal hegemony: "unilateral military force results in too much backlash" Says the US is an "indispensable nation," meaning that global problems require multilateral cooperation from US; "we can't step back," so overall uses primacy

What is primacy? How is primacy related to neoconservatism? What are some historical examples of neoconservatism?

Primacy = establishing and maintaining american hegemony over all rivals, preventing emergence of a strong rival, GLOBAL scope mindset, DOESN'T want multilateral means / coordination with international orgs; Reliance on military power American interests abroad are global Security is achieved unilaterally through dominant American power (yikes) = can lead to overreach and isolation, which in turn hurts American prestige, threatens to impose heavy cost, willing to deploy hard forms of control Neoconservatism → set of ideas about how society functions & the appropriate relationship between government & citizens in a modern democratic society Tend to be Republicans Tend to be skeptical of gov. Efforts to engineer beneficial social outcomes w/ programs like Obamacare Embrace foreign policy similar to primacy Historical examples of neo: This is essentially the Republican Party's version of the old liberal notion promoted by President Woodrow Wilson that it is America's mission to "make the world safe for democracy." Historical example of neoconserv and primacy: President George W. Bush = underlying premise was to promote democracy, willing to use military deployment unilaterally, NEOCONSERVATIVE, 9/11 pushed him from SE to primacy, skeptical of international institutions, preserving military dominance over peers

What is selective engagement?

Selective engagement = shares some elements of isolationism mindful of limits of American power tries to limit US intervention; cant intervene everywhere without significant risk OVERARCHING GOAL? prevent a great power war It embraces the political and economic responsibilities of the US' power status DOES like alliances like NATO Wants to avoid the balancing behavior of other countries Hesitant to engage in local conflicts unless they threaten a larger scale of war (like WW2)

What are some of the most prominent differences among the seven grand strategies discussed in Modules 3 and 4?

Selective engagement overlaps with offshore balancing Restraint combines isolationism, offshore balancing, & selective engagement Liberal hegemony fuses liberal internationalism & primacy Liberal Hegemony Combination of Liberal Internationalism and primacy Use internal liberal order to pursue US foreign policy interests Liberal Internationalism View threats to America as global Promote free markets, democracy, and multilateral institutions as important means of achieving collective global security Primacy Establish American hegemony (dominance) through unilateral actions American Isolationism Keep the outside world at a distance Skeptical of foreign intervention Offshore balancing Skeptical of forward troop deployments Focus on the Americas Minimal, short term interventions to prevent great powers in strategically important areas. Theoretical principles associated with realism and balance of power Selective Engagement Limit military interventions to when the security of the US is at stake Tolerant of forward deployment of troops as a means to prevent greater wars or great powers rising from the war Willing to pursue alliances and hesitant to intervene for an extended duration when necessary. Restraint Combination of isolationism, offshore balancing, and selective engagement

What are some of the similarities between the Mearsheimer/Walt and Posen readings?

Similar in the elements that: In opposition to liberal hegemony, citing - too many economic resources used - traps US in nationalist conflicts - hasn't worked post Cold-War - destabilizes regions (afghanistan, etc) United States should refrain from active intervention around the world, and conserve resources (CONSERVATION). This reading also states that we should focus on CHINA as a rising hegemon and remain offshore as long as possible until someone with opposing interests has a serious chance of winning. They were both also realists: the distribution of power creates a role in shaping intl political outcomes; military states write the rules, states need to be prudent with military power

How do special interest lobbying groups solve the collective action problem? How does the collective action problem help to explain why different types of groups (such as consumers and trade unions) have varying levels of success in lobbying for their interests regarding free trade?

Special interest lobbying groups solve the CAP by being able to organize a lot of voters. By getting a group of people to campaign for something allows one's voice to be heard and help the majority of people. The rich and people that have a voice are the ones that overcome CAP because they get people together to work towards certain policies. CAP helps explain why different groups have varying levels of success in lobbying for their interests regarding free trade because single consumers do not have the ability to have their voices heard unless they rally as a group have a lot of money to help with certain politicians policies. It's expensive to lobby so getting a group together is essential if you want to be heard, if not just be rich and you'll have your voice heard (harsh but true lol) Difficult to mobilize sufficient societal support to influence FP unless rely on group that has already solved collective action problems. Workers have a better handle on dealing with collective action problem than consumers because they are directly affected and often find themselves pushing for more rights Reason trump was elected because middle class voted for him because they wanted restrictions on free trade

What are the main components of the foreign policy bureaucracy in the United States and what are their main responsibilities?

State Department → houses diplomats Responsible for interactions between US government & other governments Ex: arms control, free trade agreements, peace deals Defense Department → manages armed forces of the US Responsibility over instruments of military force Military protects American interests around the world **Headed by a CIVILIAN, NOT a general (Secretary of Defense) Reputation - credible, coercive threats Major actor of US foreign policy Treasury Department → manages coordination of monetary policies between US & other states along with the Federal reserve Significant domestic responsibilities = collection of taxes, bills, etc. Borrowing functions deepen departments integration into foreign policy Ex: Chinese government & sovereign wealth funds = important issuers of credit to the US Ex: taxes, paying government bills, borrowing operations with other countries CIA & DNI → intelligence agencies Directorate of National Intelligence → latter position created in the aftermath of 9/11 to centralizes coordination of intelligence agencies so they are not scattered Shapes beliefs of our leaders with respect to what other actors will do Ex: Iraq War The US was given mistaken intelligence about Iraqi weapons capabilities which lead to public support of mobilizing war National Security Advisor → first person to brief president every morning; holds the responsibility for coordinating all of these foreign policy bureaucracies

How is offshore balancing different from selective engagement?

THE WILLINGNESS TO DEPLOY. Selective engagement is more willing to deploy, offshore balancing is more skeptical! MAIN GOAL of OB: prevents rise of great power that's strategically dominant MAIN GOAL OF SE: prevent great power war

What are tariffs? Who pays tariffs? What are the main economic consequences of tariffs?

Tariffs - are a tax that importers pay when a good cross into the US. Economic consequences Raise the price of goods produced in a foriegn country Tariffs benefit domestic firms that make competing products (their goods are now cheaper)- they do not pay these tariffs but, can raise their prices to match import prices - which in turn raises domestic prices which hurts domestic consumers Tariffs reduce imports Cause the redistribution of income domestically because consumers pay more, the government collects tariff revenue, and import competing producers sell more at higher prices Tariffs trigger retaliation from other countries that hurts exporters

What were the Good Friday Accords and how did Great Britain and Ireland's membership in the EU help to end violence between Nationalists and Unionists in Northern Ireland? How does Brexit affect the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland? Why is this issue such a significant dilemma for implementing Brexit?

The Good Friday Accords - left the border between Ireland and North Ireland flexible in 1998. Before them there was fighting between the nationalists and unionists over independence: The Unionists were British, Protestant, and anti-independence The Nationalists were Irish, Catholic, and pro-independence The fighting between the two led to a war with tariffs, then it quickly got violent with street fighting, bombing, and terrorist attacks on civilians This violence ended when both Ireland and the UK/Great Britain (which encompasses N Ireland) joined the European Union which allowed for fluid movement across the Ireland/N Ireland border as well as free trade and similar trade laws. The border was basically invisible with little to no checkpoints or security If the UK leaves the EU the border may become hard again and the Good Friday Accords may be compromised and lead to security and customs at the border between Ireland/ N Ireland It is viewed as a significant issue because the UK does not want the return of the violence that occured when there was a border. Additionally, they do not want Ireland and N Ireland to reunify. Allowing Brexit with EU customs between the two countries would undermine Brexit.

Describe the critique of President Trump's approach to trade presented in the Vice clip of the INN@UT #1 video. How does this critique explain the reduction of American manufacturing job over the last several decades?

The economist at UC Berkeley, Lauren Tyson explains that free trade is mutually beneficial relationship that benefits both parties that are involved so actually the trade deficit is not technically unfair. She explains the reason there is a trade deficit is simply because China's stuff is generally cheaper than ours. She also said that a trade deficit is not necessarily bad for an economy since there is more capital inflow which indicates economic strength rather than weakness She explains that we have lost jobs to technology and automation which is the reason why there has been a reduction in American manufacturing jobs in the last several decades (about ⅓ fewer workers) There is little role for tariffs

Which social groups in Great Britain tended to support leaving the European Union (EU) and which groups voted in favor of remaining in the EU?

The labour party wants to cast another vote on the issue The conservative party wants Brexit (includes Boris Johnson) The liberal democrats are against Brexit The SNP wants another vote but wants the UK to stay in the EU The democratic unionist party wants to leave the EU People with higher education were less likely to vote to stay in the EU Older people were less likely to stay in the EU White people were less likely to stay in the EU People who live in London or other crowded cities vote to leave the EU because they can personally feel the impacts of the influx of migrants

What is Brexit and what was the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum? How does Brexit reflect the paradox of globalization?

The result was in favor of the leave the European Union which was largely a surprise. Brexit is the opposite of globalization since it goes against a more integrated Europe - with a single market, currency, bank, budget, and political system. The EU allows for the free movement of capital and people and Brexit does not.

Who are the winners and losers within the US economy in the US-China trade war?

The winners - steel and aluminum manufacturers (who were hurt by China's dumping of metal in the US) other protected industries The losers- consumers hurt by high prices american exporters harmed by retaliatory tariffs(farmers) - an example of this would be the soybean farmers who have to find new markets to sell their goods to since China has raised tariffs on their goods causing soybean imports to drop Companies relying on chinese imports face higher input costs Companies doing business in China could be hurt and forced to alter supply chains American Economy which has slowed down People who have lost their jobs due to tariffs Trump has threatened our relationship with the EU

How does President Trump see the nature of the security threat presented by terrorism? How does Trump's counter-terrorism strategy differ from President Bush?

Trump sees international terrorist groups as primary threat to the United States (like Bush) but doesn't focus on curtailing terrorism by regime change but INSTEAD by strict immigration laws Trump says military action is the wrong way to attack an authoritarian regime Trump is skeptical of military intervention and regime change, which was the primary instrument to combat terrorism in the Bush administration Trump's speech: States how he is protecting U.S from radical, islamic terrorism Says that it is statistically known that the majority of those arrested for terrorist acts in the U.S were immigrants Like the bush administration, trump sees international terrorist groups like al qaeda and ISIS as a primary security threat in the U.S TRUMP: wants to keep potential terrorists out of the country He thinks that people from torn countries with violence will bring the violence to the U.S Executive order: He restricted of immigration from 7 majority muslim countries Courts are blocking these orders from happening BUSH: used military force to initiate regime change in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc... These regime were seen as influencing terrorism If there were democratic regimes in these countries, there would be less terrorism

Defining Trump's grand strategy:

Trump focuses on the need to subordinate national security interests To redistribute wealth back to US Neomercantilism: Importance of domestic industry Call for protection Border restrictions National Security Strategy Protect homeland Promote American prosperity Preserve peace by rebuilding military Advance American influence abroad Skeptical of globalization The Trump administration focuses strongly on centrality of economic interests and neomercantilism (domestic industry, protection through tariffs, border restrictions, and redistributing world wealth toward America). National interests are to restore american sovereignty and is skeptical of multilateral agreements, globalization, new troop deployment, nation building, and is for immigration restrictions and increasing military spending. So through process of elimination, leaves some combination of offshore balancing, isolationism, and restraint.

What is President Trump's approach to trade? How has his worldview concerning the economic consequences of free trade on the United States affected his views of the US-China trade relationship?

Trump recognized a large trade deficit with China and decided to try to negotiate with China to raise their imports of US goods but, this failed. Now, he uses protectionist policies like tariffs to try to reduce the deficit and bring american manufacturing jobs home. His worldview on free trade has caused a full on tariff war between the United States and China that has largely slowed trade. (31% → 2%) He views trade deficit as unfair

Describe President Trump's specific reasons for imposing tariffs on China.

Trump views the economic system as unfair to the US - why are we in a trade deficit while China is in a surplus He argues that free trade has led to good manufacturing jobs overseas and believes that protectionist policies (like tariffs) should bring these jobs back to the US He wants China to boost imports of US products He wants China to stop manipulating our currency He wants to protect US intellectual property (technology)

According to Walter LaFeber and the Wisconsin School (covered in lecture), how did crucial business interests and the need for foreign markets contribute to the timing of American expansion in the 1890s?

Walter LaFeber looks at how industrialization forced the US to act like other colonial powers. Between 1873-1876 there is the Broader Economic Crisis and there was a lot of deflation.- The US wanted a navy so they put a tariff on imports that would raise import taxes and provide money for the military. They essentially would like a bigger military with high tariffs and more trade on the global stage,- The US expands because they need people to trade with to combat their deflation at home.- In LaFeber's eyes, business pushed the american gov to respond to the extended economic downturn- by appealing to nationalist causes - that would both expand the american market - while keeping it insulated from european competition behind tariff walls

What is "war fatigue"? What does Mueller mean when he says that the American public is "casualty-phobic?

War fatigue = support for war declines as time goes on Casualty phobic means: 1. historical trend in Korean, Vietnam, and Iraq 2. citizens are immune to "damage control" 3. consequences are long-term apprehension about future use of American military force

How does structure constitute actors by influencing their identities and interests? Discuss some examples.

a good example of this (besides the other flashcard) is within the NATO & EU → form collective identity among democratic states Create a larger responsibility which leads to a larger social structure Defines identities & interests of its members Is able to alter the actors (indirect effect on behavior) When structure constitutes, it alters identity or interests of actors

Does war expand presidential authority? Why might this be the case? How do the different constituencies of the President versus members of Congress affect this dynamic?

Yes, it does expand presidential authority. Congress votes closer to presidential preferences of policy goals during war Importance of Different Constituencies Generate different composition of societal interests to represent President = larger constituency (national) Congress = narrower constituency The President is a major constitutency. However, there are lots of other state constitutiences. For ex, members of congress have both national and local influences This can be CONFLICTING. let's look at an example of when a member of Congress would have conflicting societal interest: post cold war military peace dividends, which called for giving back some of the defense spending to citizens Locally - you are the member of an area with a large military base. this would lead to unemployment and you would be locally unpopular, might lose election Nationally - serves for tax cuts and good press. You don't want to be known by the public for being on the other side of this deal War elevates the importance of national goals in political calculations of congressional officials - Move closer to the president's position, enhancing his authority and enabling him to achieve more of his policy goals - Congressional uncertainty about optimal foreign policy choice also strengthens executive that possesses "informational" advantage

What is the War Powers Act

a federal law intended to check the president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress; can send troop for 60 days then needs permission; passed over Nixon's veto, gives congress broader powers Re - balance of powers between President & congress back to what the founding fathers intended It is the congress, not the president that has the power to "make all laws necessary" Puts time limits on President's ability to deploy troops abroad w/ out declaration of war The 1973 War Powers Act, which was a direct response to the Vietnam War, requires that Congress be consulted whenever the president is ready to commit American troops. It puts a 60-day limit on their deployment (with an additional month for withdrawal) without further congressional approval. Presidents have repeatedly cited the WPA as being unconstitutional because it restrains their inherent executive power.

What is the national interest?

a set of goals possessed by the US to: -guide and motivate policy -determine the identity of the United States -define the scope of conflicts 1. National interest guides foreign policy [US preventing terrorism = NI = Iran Nucl Deal?] 2. Defines collective identity [political support for democracy] 3. Allies possess SOME kind of common national interest [Nazi Germany threatening its neighbors] [Ex: tension with US & Iran (national interests conflict) Iran wanted Israel eliminated, but US is allies with Israel] 4. Economic interests [US wants global market and free trade] [Economic interest in countries that provide raw materials] National interests are often contested Subject to domestic conflicts because institutions have an important role in determining national interests Ex: a group may support a policy that relies on military force while supporting an isolationist foreign policy that sees little need for army Elections & separation of power between legislative & executive branch Aggregate different perspectives in society Aggregation Mechanism → rule based process by which political winners & losers get chosen

foreign policy is a mix of _ & _

actions and statements

How did war and the anticipation of war in Europe lead to constructing a constitution with a stronger national government capable of reining in state powers?

as the Federalist Papers pointed out, the AOC raised national security problems. AOC = internal weakness. If the states maintained so much autonomy, would they help other states out if they're invaded? Federalist papers called for centralized government French Revolution Helped create American withdraw from European politics Jefferson sought to avoid entanglements in the wars of French Revolution so the US could consolidate itself as a new nation state 1) Limit the power of the federal government relative to the states 2) Economy could flourish with commercial expansion oriented around agricultural production 3) Territorial Expansion Need more land for farming & exports

What made the American Civil War an international event? What differentiated Union diplomacy from Confederate diplomacy?

civil war was international because the US was one of the few democracies in a mostly-hierarchial planet. this was a huge moment for seeing how the US was doing as a model for other democratic rebellions happening across europe and latin america union diplomacy: relied on 2 pillars 1) economic ties and large industrial base made it an important trading partner with Europe 2) anti-slavery confederate diplomacy ECONOMIC BASE OF KING COTTON!*

Why did the United States enter World War I? What was President Woodrow Wilson's position on the war during the presidential campaign in 1916? Why did his position change?

entered because Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare against merchant shipping, which meant more american vessels sinking and more killing of american citizens Wilson had long sought to keep the US Out of the war. He had campaigned on this foreign policy accomplishment In November of 1916; "peace without victory" speech Wilson had little choice but to reverse course in April of 1917 because the German military opted to Implement unrestricted submarine warfare against merchant shipping in Jan of 1917

Know the specific characteristics of the different components of foreign policy: beliefs, capabilities, interests, and actions (behavior) of political actors?

components of foreign policy Beliefs: organizing ideas that other actors have about American interests and future actions; other acors change their own behavior based on how others will respond FP communicates INTENT ex: The Cold War --> both countries BELIEVED that nuclear weapons would be used if the Cold War deteriorated to that The US relied on the Soviet belief that we were willing to shed blood / push the button ex: Driving; when you're driving on the road, you drive with the BELIEF (assumption) that the other actors (drivers) WANT to live Beliefs are central to the coordination of social behavior. the actions of the US government are designed to shape beliefs Capabilities: relative balance of military power between 2 political organizations Shapes bargaining leverage (ability to get what you want) in a political dispute Ex: US uses military dominance to extract political concessions from other states Ex: War as a tool of foreign policy to degrade capabilities of other states Ex: pursuit of sanctions against Iran; Iran with weapons limits American military influence (American CAPABILITES) in the Middle East Ex: US began the struggle with ISIS to reduce their military capabilities Target Interests: shape the complementarity of another state's political goals relative to how they affect the US - this shapes the scope of political conflict with the US: are the target interests congruent or conflictual? Interests = what states want (territory, wealth, democracy, etc.) Common interests lead to cooperation Ex: the US has used material incentives such as foreign aid to other governments Causes other governments to want to pursue interests that are consistent to the US Actions → device to alter the behavior of other states Ex: US issued sanctions against Russia designed to pressure Putin to halt support of separtists in Ukraine US wanted to restrict Putin's support

What is divided government? How does it influence foreign policy?

divided government = when the majority of seats in Congress and the presidency are not of the same political party it influences foreign policy because it serves as a better check on the executive branch when the government is divided Occurs when the President's party doesn't hold the majority of the seats in both the House of Representatives & the Senate one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress As the number of seats of the opposing party goes up, the president is less likely to use military force in foriegn policy President has top information to make better judgements of his success in FP and he is more likely to share this information with the party he aligns with - so if they have a minority they can call of the majority party in hearings to testify but rebutle with facts which embarasses them

How does the model of a two level game help us understand how domestic political factors can shape the content of US foreign policy?`

domestic politics is a 2 level game: 1) has 2 sets of political competition 2) government sits at the intersection of 2 pressures: domestic AND international

According to the Schweller reading, what are the key principles of President Trump's foreign policy and what are the sources of Trump's shifts in foreign policy?

his key principles are 1) nationalist mercantilism 2) no more multilateral 3) no free rides the sources of Trump's shift in foreign policy? the international order of the world powers is shifting and the US is deteriorating

How does structure in the international system constrain behaviors of international actors? Discuss some examples of how structure constrains actors' behaviors.

it sets the costs and benefits of a range of actions; if it's constrained, actors do not do it but it leaves the fundamental characteristics of the actors unchanged (example, driving on the right side of the road on MoPac) US legal code sovereignty and territorial borders also, the strength of military power among states can also serve as a structural constraint against other states

Why is Congress so reluctant to grant AUMFs?

its a way for the president to have a congressional "buy-in" for war, it is a main source of checks on presidential power, and the individual interests in this vote provide for a diversified check

What is the approach of the current Prime Minister Boris Johnson toward Brexit? How has the Parliament react to his approach thus far

johnson says he will push through Brexit by October 31st even if that means there is a no-deal Brexit. Johnson has also called for a new election. Parliament blocked the new elections by not setting the date until later. Parliament reacted by forcibly by law making him ask the EU for an extension. He has gotten attacked in the House of Commons, where even his own party voted against him meaning he has lost his majority.

What is liberal internationalism?

liberal internationalism = embraces multilateral cooperation with other states, promotes "free and fair," "democratic," "civil rights and equality," sees American threats abroad as GLOBAL scope (unlike isolationism), security is collective and best achieved in a world that's modeled off of Western (liberal) values American intervention is needed and used to establish an American-led liberal global order Embraces free market economy that rests on private ownership of property A grand strategy that strives to create an international system dominated by democratic politics & a global free market economy Often calls for extensive American military & economic intervention This idealism is opposed to realism Security is achieved through international organizations and alliances Intervention leads to order [Can be seen as (yikes) imperalism!]

jefferson and washington both loved

neutrality!

Which one is more hesitant to deployment: offshore balancing or selective engagement?

offshore balancing

What is offshore balancing (interests, means, threats, theoretical foundations)?

offshore balancing = involves maintaining American hegemony in the Western Hemisphere by preventing hegemonies in Europe, East Asia, and the persian gulf (CHINA). It's less concerned with international conflicts, involves cutting back on limited resources. Oriented around **CONSERVATION*, pushes allies for more responsibility, remains offshore as long as possible, only military engagement unless ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Nested with Realism (the distribution of power creates a role in shaping intl political outcomes; military states write the rules, states need to be prudent with military power) and Balancing Theory (states balance to prevent hegemony) ex: Critical of Iraq war, deeming it unnecessary, provoked more opposition to the US, backfired and undermined the US' ability in other areas

What power does Congress have?

power to declare war and raise and support armies ("power of the purse"), given by Art 1 Sec 8, but any attempts to defund can be veto'd by the prez

What is a public good?

public good = Public good: a commodity or service that is provided without profit to all members of a society, either by the government or a private individual or organization. NONEXCLUDABLE AND NONRIVALROUS

What is the Presidential daily brief? What role does the CIA play in US foreign policy?

residential Daily Brief (PDB) → daily brief given to president every morning by a member in the CIA Interactive CIA's 3 Main Goals 1.Uncover threats and keep US safe 2. Make sure president & policy makers receive best intelligence available 3. Transform Action Effort Advances in world & technology Partisan differences are put behind when it comes to national security

According to your Kaye reading, what is "stealth multilateralism"? Why might a President employ such a strategy? How does it influence the capacity of the President to reach international agreements with other states? What are the long term risks associated with presidential reliance on Stealth Multilateralism? What examples illustrate these risks?

stealth multilateralism = tendency for the senate to reject all treaties pursued by presidents since the Cold War, quite destructive for the US to be able to engage in multilateral problems - which are increasing. Basically foriegn policy is being killed. Presidents might employ the strategy of stealth multilateralism to cut out congress and work around the refusal of the senate to approve treaties acting as if the US were part of an accord Long - Term Risks & International Agreements of prez relying on stealth multilateralism Destructive to foreign policy making process and ruins multilateral efforts to solve problems Undermines US ability to lead Low sustainability, and foriegn actors can see the tension The US not being included in the Paris Climate Accords or the Test Ban Treaty The US Senate rejected ratification of these treaties because they do not want to focus their efforts and money globally which is why it was so easy for Trump to withdraw from the PCA

What is the "rally around the flag" effect?

tendency for increased public support for leaders when a country first becomes involved in a military conflict Reasons: nationalism, lack of interest/ information, dramatic impact of foreign crises, fleeting nature of support (pattern not reason) Seen with Bush after 9/11 when he initiated attacks on the Middle East Can also be seen under Bush with the lead up to Iraq attacks in 2003 Both Korean and Vietnam wars started out with high support Seen under HW bush after the start if the first persian gulf war

According to the Goldgeier and Saunders reading, how have constraints on presidential authority in foreign policy eroded and what factors have caused this erosion?

the 3 constraints of presidential authority in FP: congress, bureaucracy, and allies and they're eroding! eroding because = polarization limits bipartisan cooperation. Now, party loyalty is so strong, that presidential power might just keep growing until a new external threat arrives, like China, because for now foreign threats are diminishing there is NOT divided government rn; republicans control both

How did a global conflict originating in Europe help bring about the American state? What challenges did Great Britain face in managing its colonies in North America in light of the Seven Years/French & Indian War?

the FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR (or "7 years wars") lead to a dramatic British victory in North America that secured new territorial possessions BUT it had 2 important political consequences: 1. how were they going to pay for this war? 2. how were they going to protect this new and larger western frontier? the 1763 reforms led to SIGNIFICANT new taxes on the American colonists to pay for troops and the costs of war (they doubled the amount of troops on the western frontier) Ex: Stamp Act, Sugar Act, Townshend Act Need of British Gov. to pay debts led to imposition of internal reforms in the colonies

who are the most PROMINENT actors in the international system

the field of international relations has long focused on states as the most important actor in the international system. Sub-group of states = Great Powers (UK, China, US) Possess more economic and military resources than other states in the international system - also turn to United Nations for giving special influence to its members

How do special interest lobbying groups solve the free rider problem?

they use selective incentives, let's take for example the AARP, where senior citizens get tons of magazines and discounts but they do have to pay dues and the AARP uses that money to lobby for social security provisions and whatnot

What is the free rider problem and how does it relate to the provision of public goods?

those who benefit from resources, public goods, or services of a communal nature do not pay for them. Free riders are a problem because while not paying for the good, they may continue to access it; individuals have access to public goods even if they do not "pay" for them as in vote or lobby for them EX: gov needs taxes for the military cuz if we relied on voluntary contributions, it would be majorly underfunded

identify the principal components of the Weissman argument about the role of Congress in shaping the use of military force. What examples does he cite as illustrating Congressional failure to uphold its constitutional responsibility with respect to the use of military force?

weissman presents a critique of congressional inactivity on decisions to use since military force since 9/11 they're less active in RESISTING foreign military interventions weissman calls for them to be more active ex: Libya and Syria

when structures _____, it doesn't change characteristics but when structure _____, it DOES

when structure CONSTRAINS, no fundamental change (driving laws) but when structure CONSTITUTES, it alters identity/interests of actors (EU, student identity, democratic identity)