U.S. Foreign Policy

1. U.S. Foreign Policy Unit 10

2. Foreign Policy • Definition: This countries actions, words, and beliefs toward other countries • Main Goals: • Protect America and Americans • Support economic growth and human rights around the world • Increase support for American values like democracy and freedom Most often the President and executive branch initiate our foreign policy responses to world events and work with the legislative branch to carry out these responses

3. Foreign Aid • The help or assistance that we give to other countries, usually through our Department of State • Main goal of our foreign aid is to create friendships abroad and foster future trading partners • Foreign aid comes in many forms. The most common are • economic, like money • military, like soldiers helping after a disaster • advice, like how to create a democracy

4. Military • This country’s troops, led by our President who is called the Commander-in-Chief • main goal of our military is to prevent war and protect the United States • Department of Defense is made up of the following branches: • Army • Navy • Air Force • Marines

5. Treaties • Aformal agreement between countries that, like laws, must be followed • The President is responsible for negotiating and signing treaties • All treaties must be approved by 2/3rds of the Senate Example: Countries form an alliance through signing a treaty. This treaty says that if one of the countries is attached, the others will step in to protect each other

6. The Cost of Foreign Policy

7. American Foreign Policy Through History • 1796 – George Washington warning of “entangling alliances” • 1822 – Monroe Doctrine • 1904 – Roosevelt Corollary • 1918 – Wilson and League of Nations • 1945 – Marshall Plan • 1946 – Cold War • 1947 – Truman Doctrine • 1950’s – Korea, Vietnam • 1991 – Gulf War • 2002 – Bush Doctrine

8. America as a Superpower • Definition – • A country with the capacity or potential to effect creative and destructive power in any corner of the known world

9. By the Numbers • Economic Power • Population 300 million (ranks 4th) • GDP $10.9 Trillion (ranks 1st) • Total Trade $2.3 Trillion (ranks 1st) • Imports $1.5 Trillion (ranks 1st) • Exports $800 Billion (ranks 1st) • Affiliate Sales $10 Trillion (ranks 1st • GDP Growth Ranks 1st among WID’s

10. By the Numbers • Military Power • Military Spending: $400 Billion (ranks 1st) • Naval Supremacy: 9 Supercarrier Groups (ranks 1st) • Air Supremacy: More advanced fighters than any other country 6,000-10,500 nuclear warheads (ranks 1st or 2nd) • Ground Supremacy: More armed forces than any other country 1.4 million personnel on active duty (ranks 3rd) • Land Area: 6 million square miles (ranks 3rd) • Railroads: 140,000 miles of railway (ranks 1st, 2.3x Russia) • Highways: 4 million miles of highway (ranks 1st, 2x India) • Airports: 5,128 paved airports (7x Brazil, > next 20 countries combined)

11. Soft Cultural Power • American Brands (McDonalds, Coca Cola, Apple) are known worldwide • American entertainment known and available worldwide • Large numbers of American students and workers abroad

12. Foreign Policy in the Nuclear Age • Nuclear Weapon States • The Two Koreas (Video) • North Korea’s Threat and Demand foreign policy

13. Question to Consider • Should the United States as the last Superpower act as a police force for the world? • What reasons for American foreign policy make U.S. involvement in North Korean affairs likely?