The Chief Diplomat: The Executive and Foreign Policy

1. The Chief Diplomat: The Executive and Foreign Policy Executive Branch

2. The Executive and Foreign Policy • One of the roles of the president is chief diplomat. Through this role, the president is responsible for establishing foreign policy. Foreign policy goals and strategies affect how other nations relate to the United States. • This lesson will focus on the goals of foreign policy, the creation of foreign policy and the strategies and tools used to shape relationships with other nations.

3. The Goals of Foreign Policy • The President is responsible for establishing foreign policy. Foreign policy consists of goals and strategies (tools) that guide a nation’s relationship with other nations. Foreign policy goals and strategies affect how other nations relate to the United States.

4. The Goals of Foreign Policy • One of the United States’ foreign policy goals is to encourage basic human rights for all citizens of the world and to ensure that all people are treated with dignity and respect. The United States shows its concern for others by providing food and medical supplies and disaster relief to those in need. This foreign aid helps support developing nations and promotes political stability.

5. National Security • National Security is the most important goal of the United States. Protecting our nation and its borders from foreign invaders will always be the most important goal. National security includes policies about arms control, terrorism, and weapons of mass destruction.

6. Economic Well-being • Economic well being of the United States including free and open trade is a very important goal of foreign policy. To keep Americans employed (working) and obtain natural resources, The United States needs to trade with other nations.

7. World Peace • The United States has continuously worked for world peace as one of its foreign policy goals. If other nations are at peace, then the United States has less of a chance of being drawn into a conflict. Our own national security depends on our ability to maintain peaceful relations and negotiate with other nations.

8. Spread of Democracy • Throughout the history of the United States, we have encouraged and helped other nations form democratic political systems. A basic principle of democracy is the belief that the people rule.

9. Humanitarian Relief and the Promotion of Human Rights • One of the United States’ foreign policy goals is to encourage basic human rights for all citizens of the world and to ensure that all people are treated with dignity and respect. This United States shows its concern for others by responding to those in need by providing food and medical supplies and disaster relief. This foreign aid helps support developing nations and promotes political stability.

10. As Chief Diplomat, the President can also negotiate executive agreements with other countries. While executive agreements do not have to be ratified by the Senate, they are reported to Congress and involve non-controversial subjects, such as food deliveries or customs enforcement.

11. The Executive and Foreign Policy • The responsibility for foreign policy is divided between the President and Congress. • The president, as head of the most powerful nation, is the head of state. He appoints and receives ambassadors and meets world leaders. He has the power to make treaties, which must be approved by the United States Senate. • The president's national security responsibilities include: negotiating with other nations, commanding the armed forces, managing crises, and obtaining support in Congress.

12. The Executive and Foreign Policy • While the responsibility for foreign policy is divided between the president and the Congress, the president has the final responsibility for establishing foreign policy.

13. As chief diplomat, the president has many foreign policy responsibilities, including: • Negotiating with other nations • Appointing ambassadors and diplomats • Appointing the heads of the executive departments to the Cabinet • Making treaties with other nations • Commanding the armed forces, and • Obtaining support in Congress

14. There are two groups that advise and assist the president in making and carrying out national security and foreign policies. • The Cabinet includes the heads of the executive departments. • The National Security Council is a group of senior national security advisors and cabinet officials. In this picture, President Bush meets with Cabinet members at year-end meeting.

15. . • The Department of State helps the president develop foreign policy and is headed by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State is a person appointed by the President and confirmed (or agreed to) by the Senate. The duties of the Secretary of State relate almost exclusively to foreign affairs. These duties include: Making foreign policy and conducting foreign affairs, and managing the work of the Department, including its foreign embassies and its many foreign employees.

16. The Department of Defense also plays a leading role in developing and implementing American foreign policy. The Secretary of Defense is one of the President’s closest advisors in matters of national security. The Secretary of Defense serves in two major ways: First, as the President’s aide and advisor in carrying out defense policy, and as the operating head of the Defense Department.

17. Congress • As a partner in foreign policy, Congress also plays a role. The Congress has the power to declare war officially and to approve or reject the nominations of cabinet members.

18. How do you become an ambassador to a foreign nation? • As Chief Diplomat, the president nominates ambassadors and diplomats to other nations. The United States Senate approves or rejects the president’s appointments.