Foreign & Military Policy

Foreign & Military Policy By: Anna Forster, Allison Henry, Cindy Li, Layla Tavangar, Zili Xu

Majoritarian – confer benefits & impose costs (go to war, alliances, etc.) • President = dominant figure, reflects public opinion • Foreign policy reflects interest groups • Congress plays larger role • Client politics – aid to US corporations abroad Kinds of Foreign Policies

President = commander in chief, appoints ambassadors, negotiates treaties • Congress must authorize money, confirm appointments, ratifies treaties, declares war • The public think the President is very powerful (only 5/13 wars approved by Cong) Constitution/Legal Context

Check on the president • Only 60 day commitment of troops without Cong’s declaration of war • All commitments reported to Cong within 48 hours • WPA has little influence: • Since its passing in 1973 every president has sent forces abroad w/o cong approval • Legislative veto to send troops home  struck down in Chadha case War Powers Act

Power widespread, rivalries between branches • Secretary of State job too big for one person  National Security Staff created • Public opinion = major factor • Americans support escalation rather than withdrawing during a conflict • Support president during times of crisis • Mass opinion = generally poorly informed, supportive of president, conservative • Elite opinion = better informed, opinions change faster, liberal & internationalist Decision Making/Public Opinion

1). Isolationism - opposition to getting involved in European wars (after WWI) • 2). Containment - iron curtain, defensive alliances  welcome allies or prevent military conquest (after WWII) • 3). Disengagement – “new isolationism” (after Vietnam) • 4). Human Rights – genocides in Rwanda, China, etc. Four World Views of Foreign Policy

Forms of foreign policy: • discussions, treaties, organizations • troops, ships, aircraft, foreign aid • weapons of mass destruction • Majoritarian view - military exists to defend the country or help other nations defend (all benefit) • vs. military is too powerful view (benefits big corps) Military Force

US does not maintain large military during peacetime • Changes in spending reflect public opinion • Spending: • People (soldiers, etc.) = most expensive, # volunteers increased with pay raises • Hardware (aircrafts, etc.) • “Readiness” (training, supplies, food) • Cost overruns because: • Hard to estimate • Underestimate when want Congress to approve • Small ticket items may seem inexpensive but must be fit for military Defense Budget

4 branches of services cannot be merged • President = commander in chief  Dept of Defense  Specialized Commands • Department of Defense • Secretary of Defense • Secretaries of Army, Navy, Air force, Marines • Joint Chiefs of Staff – heads of each service, chairman, vice chairman, appointed officials Structure of Decision Making

Interest Group Politics – benefits on some small, identifiable group and impose costs on another group • For Repeal: • Human Rights Campaign – lesbian/gay equality • Against Repeal: • Center for Military Readiness – homosexuality is incompatible with military service Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

http://cmrlink.org/CMRDocuments/DoDDischarges1.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTTaM-2ID20&feature=channel DADT signing

Foreign & Military Policy