U.S. Foreign Policy and Global Security

America Is the World's Largest Oil Producer

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• Despite being the world's largest oil producer, the U.S. lacks control over production.

• In December, over 30 tankers carrying liquid natural gas from the U.S. rerouted to the European Union, surpassing Russia as the top supplier.

• This event marks a significant shift from the mid-2000s when the U.S. faced potential natural gas shortages.

Energy Independence

• True energy independence requires more than just market forces.

• The U.S. should manage its fossil fuels and climate, similar to its approach to food, timberlands, and water quality.

• Achieving this involves aggressive industry management and phasing out fossil fuels.

• Such stewardship would secure prosperity and freedom for the United States.

America's Approach to Energy Security

• When geopolitical crises or market fluctuations lead to higher oil prices, U.S. policymakers typically resort to the same strategies.

• They seek increased oil production by requesting Saudi Arabia to pump and sell more petroleum.

The Bush Doctrine

• Linked to Unilateralism.

• Pre-emptive strikes against immediate, or perceived future, threats were promoted by the "hawks" in his inner circle.

9/11

• The September 11, 2001, attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City resulted in 2,996 deaths.

• President Bush sought immediate retribution.

Invasions Following 9/11

• Afghanistan (2002): Targeted the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

• Iraq (following year).

Effects of US Action after 9/11

• The U.S. was perceived as a "rogue state" focused on "imperial aggrandizement."

• International organizations like the UN and NATO were weakened.

• Iraq and the wider region were destabilized, leaving Iran as the dominant power.

• "Jihadi terrorism" became more entrenched.

• Bin Laden considered Bush a "godsend" to his cause.

Why Invade Iraq?

• Possible reasons include oil, a legacy problem, and the influence of the Israel lobby in Washington.

WMDs

• Intelligence suggested Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs that could be activated quickly.

• No Weapons of Mass Destruction were found in Iraq.

9/11 and Bush Administration's Response

• The Bush administration's response to international terrorism was highly controversial and counterproductive.

• Turning the war in Afghanistan into a war of choice in Iraq was a major strategic error.

Guantanamo Bay

• The prison at Guantánamo Bay naval base opened in 2002 to house suspected terrorists captured during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.

• Located on land under US control but not considered a US territory.

• Detainees are not afforded the same rights as US citizens.

• 780 adults have been detained; 9 have been charged.

• Horrific methods of torture were introduced during the Bush administration.

• Some detainees remain imprisoned without charge and with no sign of release.

Extraordinary Rendition

• The CIA used a program to transfer foreign nationals suspected of terrorism to countries where federal and international legal safeguards do not apply.

• Former CIA agent Robert Baer noted that prisoners were sent to Jordan for serious interrogation, Syria for torture, and Egypt for disappearance.

US Dominance

• Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US became the world's sole superpower, transitioning from a 'bipolar' to a 'unipolar' world order.

Leading Player in International Organizations

• The United States plays a major role in various IGOs

• Notably

  • The UN

  • NATO

  • In the G7 & G20

The UN

• The United States plays a leading role in the UN as a founding member

• The USA has been heavily involved in peacekeeping operations throughout the world as a member of the Security Council

• However, the US has shown an ambivalent attitude towards the UN at times, for example invading Iraq without its backing

• The relationship is more enduring than it seems. The UN after all is an epitome of the values and principles United States of America embodies and envisions for the world. The UN has been a good place for the US to exercise and extend its substantial reservoir of 'soft power'

NATO

• The USA is the dominant player within NATO

• It contributes far more troops, resources and finances than any other single member of the alliance

• More than any other country the USA sets the NATO agenda

• For example, it is claimed the USA has kept the pressure up on European countries to look to expand NATO eastwards

Short Lived Dominance

• The US's period of dominance has been short lived

• Russia has presented various challenges to global security, including their intervention in Georgia (2008)

  • Also, with the annexation of Crimea, and now the invasion of Ukraine

• China's growing economic might and presence in the South China Sea pose further challenges to US global dominance, as well as their developing relationships with Russia & Iran

Obama's Approach

• Elected in 2008, Obama aimed to improve America's global standing by adopting a more cautious foreign policy in the Middle East.

Libya

• The NATO led intervention to remove Gaddafi left a power vacuum

• The country was majorly destabilised and terrorist groups became active and embedded in the country

Syria

• The US has "flip-flopped" between wanting to remove Assad and in fighting ISIS

• There has been a lack of coherence to their strategy

• They have not helped to make Syria and the wider region safer and more stable

Obama's Actions

• Bin Laden was hunted down and killed.

• The use of drones became increasingly common in air strikes.

• Such strikes have been very controversial, with civilian deaths being a common feature

• Some Human Rights groups suggested the numbers were as high as 1,100 civilians killed in the period 2002-2016

Biden's Presidency

• Elected in 2020.

• Announced "We're back," signaling a return to global engagement after the relative isolationism of the Trump years.

• Withdrawal from Afghanistan.

• Agreed a new three-way strategic defence (AUKUS) with Australia & the UK. In doing so, they have antagonised both France & China.

Global Financial Crisis

• The 2008 Financial Crisis had its roots in the US Financial Markets

• Under-regulated, casino style institutions wreaked havoc throughout the global economic system

• "When America sneezes, the World catches a cold"

Environmental Insecurity

• The US plays a hugely destabilising role as the second biggest emitter globally

• It is far and away the worst emitter per capita

• Biden's "Build Back Better" Act contained over 850bn in provisions to fight Climate Change

• Biden made many commitments at COP26 in Glasgow, including restoring 200m hectares of forest

• In August 2022 the US passed legislation to tackle climate change that experts have called "radical" and "historic". The Inflation Reduction Act could reduce US greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030.

Counter-Terrorism

• Political or military activities designed to prevent or thwart terrorism.

Invasions

• Following the 9/11 attacks in the US, the Bush Administration embarked on a 'hawkish' foreign policy following the Bush Doctrine

• This included the invasions of Afghanistan (2001) & Iraq (2003)

• The US withdrew all military personnel from Afghanistan in 2021

• They still have 2,500 troops in Iraq, after returning in 2014, after they had previously withdrawn from the country in 2011

Detention - Guantanamo Bay

• The prison at Guantánamo Bay naval base opened in 2002 in order to house suspected terrorists captured during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan

• Whilst under US control, the land is not a US territory

• As a result, detainees at the base have not been afforded the rights that US citizens enjoy

• 780 adults have been detained

• 9 have been charged

• Horrific methods of torture were introduced during the Bush administration

• Some detainees remain, imprisoned with no charge and no sign of release

Extraordinary Rendition

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• The Central Intelligence Agency, utilised an intelligence-gathering program involving the transfer of foreign nationals suspected of involvement in terrorism to detention and interrogation in countries where -- in the CIA's view -- federal and international legal safeguards do not apply.

• In the words of former CIA agent Robert Baer: "If you want a serious interrogation, you send a prisoner to Jordan. If you want them to be tortured, you send them to Syria. If you want someone to disappear -- never to see them again -- you send them to Egypt."

Covert Force

• According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (2017), the US carried out ten times more air strikes in Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen during Obama's presidency than under George W. Bush

• Obama authorised the extensive use of drone strikes to carry out "targeted killings"

• This meant a disregard for the principle of 'state sovereignty,' along with the acceptance of large numbers of civilian deaths

• Obama's use of a 'Disposition Matrix,' often referred to as a 'kill list' of individuals suspected of terrorism activity, as well as the continuation of 'extraordinary rendition' continued to denigrate the US's claim to be a beacon of light in the World

Leaders Killed

• US Counter Terrorism Missions have led to the deaths of key terrorist figures, including the architect of the 9/11 attacks, Osama Bin Laden.

• Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in 2012, following a US Navy Seals operation

• Also pictured is Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the Leader of Islamic State, who killed himself following a US Commando raid in Syria in 2019

The Patriot Act

• Enacted in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

• Increased surveillance powers for law enforcement.

• Aimed to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world.

• Controversial due to concerns about civil liberties and privacy

Flashcard #1
Term: What was the outcome of the NATO intervention in Libya?
Definition: The NATO led intervention to remove Gaddafi left a power vacuum, destabilising the country and embedding terrorist groups.

Flashcard #2
Term: What characterizes the US strategy in Syria?
Definition: The US has 'flip-flopped' between wanting to remove Assad and fighting ISIS, lacking coherence in their strategy.

Flashcard #3
Term: What were the origins and impact of the 2008 Financial Crisis?
Definition: The 2008 Financial Crisis had its roots in the US Financial Markets, with under-regulated institutions wreaking havoc globally.

Flashcard #4
Term: According to Robert Baer, what happened to prisoners sent to Jordan, Syria, and Egypt under the CIA program?
Definition: Former CIA agent Robert Baer stated that prisoners were sent to Jordan for serious interrogation, Syria for torture, and Egypt for disappearance.

Flashcard #5
Term: What contradiction exists regarding the U.S. and oil production?
Definition: Despite being the world's largest oil producer, the U.S. lacks control over production.

Flashcard #6
Term: What does true energy independence require for the U.S.?
Definition: True energy independence requires more than just market forces and involves aggressive industry management and phasing out fossil fuels.

ashcard #1
Term: What intelligence led to the invasion of Iraq?
Definition: Intelligence suggested Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs that could be activated quickly.

Flashcard #2
Term: What has Russia challenged?
Definition: Russia has presented various challenges to global security, including their intervention in Georgia (2008), the annexation of Crimea, and now the invasion of Ukraine.

Flashcard #3
Term: What is one thing that Obama did?
Definition: Bin Laden was hunted down and killed.

Flashcard #4
Term: What did Biden announce?
Definition: Announced 'We're back,' signaling a return to global engagement after the relative

Flashcard #1
Term: What are political or military activities designed to prevent or thwart terrorism?
Definition: Counter-Terrorism

Flashcard #2
Term: After the collapse of the Soviet Union, what role did the US assume on the global stage?
Definition: The US became the world's sole superpower, transitioning from a 'bipolar' to a 'unipolar' world order.

Flashcard #3
Term: What was the perception of the U.S. after its actions following 9/11?
Definition: The U.S. was perceived as a 'rogue state'

Flashcard #1
Term: The Bush Doctrine
Definition: Linked to Unilateralism. Pre-emptive strikes against immediate, or perceived future, threats were promoted by the 'hawks' in his inner circle.

Flashcard #2
Term: Guantanamo Bay
Definition: The prison at Guantánamo Bay naval base opened in 2002 to house suspected terrorists captured during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. Detainees are not afforded the same rights as US citizens. Horrific methods of torture were introduced during the Bush administration. Some detainees remain imprisoned without charge and with no sign of release.

Flashcard #3
Term: Extraordinary Rendition
Definition: The CIA used a program to transfer foreign nationals suspected of terrorism to countries where federal and international legal safeguards do not apply.

Flashcard #4
Term: The Patriot Act
Definition: Enacted in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Increased surveillance powers for law enforcement. Aimed to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world. Controversial due to concerns about civil liberties and privacy.

Flashcard #5
Term: Covert Force
Definition: Obama authorised the extensive use of drone strikes to carry out 'targeted killings'. This meant a disregard for the principle of 'state sovereignty,' along with the acceptance of large numbers of civilian deaths.

Flashcard #6
Term: Environmental Insecurity
Definition: The US plays a hugely destabilising role as the second biggest emitter globally. Biden's 'Build Back Better' Act contained over $$

Create more flashcards with the following style and topics:

Flashcard #1
Term: Counter-Terrorism
Definition: Political or military activities designed to prevent or thwart terrorism.

Flashcard #2
Term: US Dominance
Definition: Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US became the world's sole superpower, transitioning from a 'bipolar' to a 'unipolar' world order.

Flashcard #3
Term: Effects of US Action after 9/11
Definition: The U.S. was perceived as a "rogue state" focused on "imperial aggrandizement."

Flashcard #4
Term: WMDs
Definition: Intelligence suggested Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs that could be activated quickly.

Flashcard #5
Term: The UN
Definition: The US plays a leading role in the UN as a founding member and has been heavily involved in peacekeeping operations throughout the world.