Foreign Military and Policy

19.1 - Kinds of Foreign Policy

Presidents power

everything falls on pres bc what he decided is all on his beliefs

Congress power

makes decisions involving sending troops, direction of intelligence operations, foreign economic aid, etc.

has the Supreme Court has been reluctant to intervene in disputes over the conduct of foreign affairs?

yes

has Congress has prevented the President from giving aid to other countries

yes

19.2 - The Constitutional and Legal Contexts

The War Powers Act

Act that grants emergency executive powers to president to run war effort

Intelligence Oversight (CIA)

CIA must keep Congress informed at all times

From time to time, Congress will pass a bill blocking a particular covert action

19.3 - Making Foreign Policy

Curtiss-Wright Export Corp.:

American foreign policy is vested entirely in fed gov., where the president has plenary power

Korematsu v. US - 1944,

sending Japanese Americans to relocation centers during WWII was based on acceptable military justification

Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer

- 1952, president can't seize factories during wartime w/o explicit congressional authority even when they are threatened by strike

Hamdi v. Rumsfeld -

2004, American citizen in jail bc he allegedly joined Taliban extremist group should have access to "neutral decision maker"

Rasul v. Bush -

2004, foreign nationals held at Guantanamo Bay bc they are believed to be terrorists have the right to bring their cases before an American court

Hamdan v. Rumsfeld -

2006, the executive military branch can't unilaterally set up

Boumediene v. Bush -

2008, Congress can't suspect the writ of habeas corpus for suspected terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay

are foreign policy issues mostly endlessly agitated/large/never settled?

yes

who coordinates foreign policy / what do they do

pres

who staffs National Security Council (NSC) to divy up the job

National Security Council reports to

president

public opinion about WW11

originally people at the time wanted to keep out of all wars and violent attacks but after Pearl Harbor people became extremely patriotic and Congress unanimously approved declaring war with only one opposing vote

public opinion on Vietnam War

WWII change in public opinion even continued into Vietnam when the public felt as though the US had an obligation to defend nations threatened by communism

9/11 public opinion

most thought that the US should not fight in the Afghanistan, but that drastically changed after 9/11 where ever since we have looked to kill anyone who participated in it

do President's tend to gain more favor (relating to foreign policy) when there is a foreign crisis?

yes

Mass opinion

the general public likes to take an offensive stance during wartime but wants to refrain from overseas ventures when possible

Elites opinion

elites take a defensive stance, favoring the support of US allies

Elites are usually

liberal/internationalist

Worldviews -

comprehensive opinions o/how US should respond to wrld problems

How a Worldview Shapes Foreign Policy

dominant worldviews are supported by the people which encourages foreign policy that reflect them

Isolationism -

belief that US should withdraw from wrld affairs

Containment -

belief that US should resist expansion o/aggressive nations, especially Russia

Disengagement -

belief that US was harmed by its war in Vietnam & so should avoid supposedly similar events

Human rights -

belief that we should try to improve lives o/ppl in other countries

Political Polarization -

divides in opinions between parties has increased over the years, especially following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003

Two views about the role of the military in American life

Majoritarian View

Client view

Majoritarian View

The military exists to defend the country or to help other nations defend themselves.

Almost all benefit and almost all pay

client view

Does not deny that the armed forces are useful, it focuses on the extent to which the military is a large and powerful client.

Real beneficiaries are generals, admirals, big corporations, and members of Congress

Everyone pays

Military-Industrial Complex:

an alleged alliance between military leaders and corporate leaders

Bipolar World

a political landscape with two superpowers

example of bipolar world

During the Cold War

Soviet Union and the United States

Unipolar World

a political landscape with one superpower

example of unipolar world

Currenct

United States

Combating Terrorism After 9/11 focused on...

How to combat the perpetrators of terrorism

What to do with the nations we have conquered that harbor terrorists

Bush issued a document that emphasized a new view to our policies

Called a Doctrine of Preemption (what is it)

Instead of waiting to be attacked we will act against them

Identify and destroy a terrorist threat before it reaches the U.S.

Won't hesitate to act alone

what is preemption

the anticipatory use of force in the face of an imminent attack

September 18's Joint Resolution

authorized the use of military force against the perpetrators of the attacks, as well as those who aided or harbored them

Sometimes the U.S. sought and obtained the support of the United Nations (2 examples)

Going to war with Korea

Launching the military effort to force Iraqi troops out of Kuwait

Other times, the U.S. did not have U.N. support (3 examples)

Fight against North Vietnam

Occupy Haiti

Assist friendly forces in Bosnia or Kosovo

over the years have the presidents gone against congress wishes?

yes

Liberals demanded

Sharp cuts in defense spending

Weapons procurement

Military personnel

Time to divert funds from the military to domestic social programs

Conservatives agreed

Some military cuts were in order

Argued that the world was still a dangerous place and therefore that a strong military remained essential to the nation's defense

Defense policy (personal)

.....

Ban on Women in the Military

Barred by law from serving in combat roles

1993 ended the legal ban on assigning women to Navy combat ships and Air Force jets

Ban on Gays in the Military (dont ask dont tell)

Clinton promised to lift the ban if he were elected to office in 1992

Once in office he discovered that it was easier said than done

Implemented "Don't ask, don't tell"

When in listing they don't ask you your sexual orientation

Cost Overruns:

when the money actually paid to military supplier exceeds the estimated costs

5 main reasons for them

1. Ignorance:

2. Low Estimates:

3. Gold Planting:

4. Sole-Sourcing:

5. Stretch-Outs:

1. Ignorance:

It is hard to know in advance what something that has never existed before will cost once you build it

2. Low Estimates:

People who want to persuade Congress to appropriate money for a new airplane or submarine have an incentive to underestimate the cost

3. Gold Planting:

The Pentagon officials who decide what kind of new aircrafts they want are drawn from the ranks of those who will fly it.

Gold Plating: The tendency of Pentagon officials to ask weapons contractors to meet excessively high requirements.

4. Sole-Sourcing:

Many new weapons are purchased from a single contractor.

5. Stretch-Outs:

When Congress wants to cut the military budget, it often does so not by canceling a new weapons system but by stretching out the number of years during which it is purchased.

Readiness

Often given a very low priority

Client Politics influences the decision

Rather spend money on new weapons than on readiness

Bases

At one time, it was pure Client Politics

Many were opened, and few were closed

In 1988, Congress concluded that no base could be closed unless the system for making decisions was changed.

Created the Commission on Base Realignment and Closure

National Security Act of 1947

Subsequent amendments created the Department of Defense

Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986

Increased the power of the officers who coordinate the activities of the different services

Joint Chiefs of Staff

A committee consisting of the uniformed heads of each of the military services, plus a chairman, a vice chairman, and military officers

Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate

The Services

Each military service is headed by a Civilian Secretary plus a Senior Military Officer

The Chair of Command

The President is Commander-in-Chief