Betty Wang International Relations Foreign Policy Notes

How U.S. Foreign Policy is Made Foreign policing making is more complicated in U.S. than other liberal democracies. Constitution makes it a struggle between the President and Congress. Actors are ambiguous. American Foreign Policy: o What we believe in or want o How to get it o How we treat other countries Branches and Foreign Policy Power split between branches for checks and balances. Senate: o Congress controls government spending. o Senate advises and approves of presidential agreements and appointments. o Congress has increased involvement in foreign affairs post-Vietnam War, but can still be circumvented by the President. o Power to declare war: the right to respond to presidential request President: o President serves as head of state and head of government, which are separate positions in most other states. o Head of state: face of America o Head of government: ~brains of America o Specific foreign policy powers include: Commander in Chief of Army and Navy Nominates and appoints ambassadors and public ministers (with Senate approval) Makes treaties (with Senate approval) Executive agreements (modern day treaties) Covert Operations (without Senate approval, eg. Bin Laden mission) Receive foreign ambassadors, recognize foreign governments Determine national agenda Decide diplomatic course of action Policymaking Machinery Making (decision) involves: o President o Executive branch o Congress o Public Conducting (action) involves:

Betty Wang International Relations o President o Executive branch Pre-WWII: o Department of State and Secretary of State managed foreign affairs. Their functions include: Negotiating with foreign states Defending U.S. position abroad Reporting on international institutions Promoting international relations Protecting overseas nationals Advancing U.S. trade The Pentagon and Security Post-WWII: heightened security and especially military power o Head of Defense Department: civilian secretary in Presidential Cabinet o Joint Chiefs of Staff: strategy board of Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps senior officials o Principal military advisor to President: chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff o National Security Council (NSC): President, Vice President, Secretaries of State and Defense, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff o Department of Homeland Security (2003): newest, powerful addition altering foreign policy making roles Intelligence o Collect, assess, disseminate information and secret operations o : CIA, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency Formation of Foreign Policy o No clearly defined system/process o Clusters of interests, variety of views o (How was response to Arab Spring uneven?) o Public opinion plays big role, since W. Wilson o (How is public opinion collected and measured?)

Foreign Policy: Domestic Influences Bureaucracies Diplomats:

Betty Wang International Relations o Diplomats, embassies, consulates, ambassadors, foreign ministry: maintained/sent by most states o Two types: political appointees or career diplomats o Diplomats carry out foreign policies, rather than create them o The change in officials does not alter a countrys relations. National interests are served by stable national goals and positions in international affairs. o Politicians try to control bureaucratic agencies; some appoint friends, others appoint rivals. Interagency Tensions o Clashes occur between different departments in tug-of-war fashion. o Departments usually promote policies based on own vested interests. Iran 1979: CIA wanted military rescue, State Dpt opposed o Sometimes representatives forgo interests to side with President; sometimes unpredictable. o Also inter-unit contentions. o Tensions mean that states are not unitary actors internationally. It has no single set of goals, but objectives resulting from subunit clashes and bargaining. Interest Groups o Foreign policy is affected by public opinion from both home and abroad. o Even in dictatorships. o Interest groups: coalitions of people sharing common interest on a political issue, and organize together to affect the outcome. E.g. French farmers lobby, protest, threaten, insert political pressure o Lobbying: talking with officials to influence decision on issue(s) 1. Gain audience 2. Have good arguments 3. Trade Favors (may be legal or illegal) o Ethnic groups, even small ones can be a big influence E.g. Cuban Americans, Greek Americans, Jewish Americans, African Americans Public Opinion

Betty Wang International Relations o What citizens think about foreign policy issues. o Every government needs legitimacy, not only force. o Authoritarian governments exert propaganda (public promotion of their official line), often through state controlled media, which is now challenged by new ICT development. Press versus Government Watchdog Manipulate, feed Uncover, publicize Leak secrets Critic Rely on <-Information -> o Success of wars affects hold of office E.g. Margaret Thatcher after 1982 Falkland Islands war (+) o Referendum sometimes directly decides foreign policy issue Not so much in U.S. as Switzerland, Denmark, etc.

Public opinion (not unified, varies w/ time)

States On foreign policy making

Interest groups

Bureaucracies

o Public opinion affects domestic policy more than foreign policy, because international relations requires more: Secrecy Unity Diplomacy o In Japan, however, public opinion is key in checking military expansion. o Attentive public: small population of active followers of world issues.

Betty Wang International Relations o Elite: most active members of above, with power and influence to affect foreign policy o Sometimes governments can act just to gain approval/legitimacy. o Rally round the flag syndrome: undertakes foreign military intervention to gain public support and to distract from home problems. o Part of diversionary foreign policy. o Dragging wars antagonizes supporters 1982 Falkland Islands War, Argentinians replaced military government and prosecuted former leaders. 2006~, G.W. Bush popularity deflated, party lost Congress, House, Senate, presidency Legislatures o Pass budgets, regulate bureaucratic rules, create trade law, control immigration policy, approve signing of executive agreements o Controlling money is a big power. o Presidents have more power when their party controls the Congress. o In parliamentary systems (U.K.) executives are chosen by the dominant legislative party, and do not submit policies for legislature approval. Legislature does approve change to British law.