United States

Question 1

What is the basis of US foreign policy?

Answer 1

Interaction between realism and idealism

Question 2

How does realism manifest itself?

Answer 2

Realism manifests itself in federation + constitution

Question 3

How does idealism manifest itself?

Answer 3

Idealism manifests itself in overall FP of US, combination of enlightened ideals + democratisation

Question 4

What is the result of this interaction between realism + idealism?

Answer 4

Strongly self-interested behaviour with a high degree of moralism

Question 5

In what way can some policies have realist + idealist explanations?

Answer 5

Vietnam + Iraq contained realist concerns over security threats (Communism / WMD)

Also invoke idealist rhetoric over supporting free governments

Question 6

What were President Wilson’s 14 points?

Answer 6

• Developed from his idealistic Wilsonian program
• Of spreading democracy + fighting militarism to prevent future wars
• Became basis of German Armistice

Question 7

Who was the League of Nations founded by? Did he manage to get it through Senate?

Answer 7

Founded by Wilson
Fought to get treaty through Senate, but was refused
Yet his ideology has endured in US foreign policy

Question 8

What is interventionism?

Answer 8

Intervene in conflicts to oppose oppression + promote democracy

Question 9

What is isolationism?

Answer 9

Only use military force for defence

Question 10

For the first 200 years of US history, what was the national policy?

Answer 10

For the first 200 years of US history, the national policy was isolationism and non-interventionism

As laid out by George Washington’s farewell address

Question 11

How is this policy of isolationism exemplified in the first half of 20th Century?

Answer 11

• Senate’s refusal to join League of Nations

- US’ reluctance to become involved in WWII (Neutrality Acts 1935-39)

Question 12

Why did the policy of isolationism come to an end?

Answer 12

• Ideological goals of fascist powers during WWII + growing aggression of Germany -> many Americans feared for the security of their nation
• Shared by realists ‘costs to high’ to be isolationist
• Thus call for end to US policy of isolationism

Question 13

What was US FP characterised by after WWII?

Answer 13

• US FP characterised by interventionism

- US was directly involved in other states’ affairs

Question 14

What was interventionist FP motivated by?

Answer 14

Motivated by containing influence of communism

Realism: system level = US wanted to check soviet expansion
Idealism: US wanted to counter Soviet Union for ideological reasons -> oppression of freedom in Eastern Europe

Question 15

After the Cold War, what was US foreign policy under Bush 1 like?

Answer 15

• Bush 1 negotiated a peaceful end to Cold War
• But his diplomacy worked best in European, Cold War context
• US partly responsible for creating Hussein
• US highly moralistic language occurred w. Gulf War, Somalia, Panama (small powers)
• But not w. Germany + USSR (medium/great powers)
  Suggests US only invokes idealist rhetoric w. weaker powers

Question 16

What was US foreign policy like under Clinton?

Answer 16

• US involvement in military operations beyond traditional peacekeeping
• Very moralistic arguments in Haiti, Bosnia
• US used force to strike Iraq in 1993 + 1998 -> neither operation was supported by UN

Question 17

What did George W Bush promise?

Answer 17

A rejection of Clinton era i.e. a return to isolationism

Question 18

Why was George W Bush’s more conservative isolationist FP overturned?

Answer 18

• Conservative FP overturned by shock of 9/11

- Administration felt existentially vulnerable

Question 19

What was the neoconservative influence on George W Bush’s FP?

Answer 19

• Neoconservatives = critical role in persuading Administration to launch preventative war against Iraq (2003)
• Their approach: exporting democracy + capitalism in response to security threat
• Interplay between realist security threat + idealist spreading of democracy

Question 20

What was the One Percent Doctrine?

Answer 20

Even w. 1% chance of threat materialising, US should act to eliminate it

Question 21

Under the Constitution, what are the two primary tasks of the President?

Answer 21

1. Commander in Chief of Armed Forces (but war must be approved by Congress)
2. Make treaties, appoint diplomats + other officers (must be approved by Senate)

The role has evolved + the President has become the dominant

Question 22

How is the dominant role of the President reflected in Congress?

Answer 22

• Only Congress has power to declare war + provide funding, but no wars have been declared since WWII
• Congress can react against undeclared wars by cutting funds, but time consuming + slow to effect

Question 23

How is the impotence of Congress reflected in the Vietnam War?

Answer 23

US able to commit over 1.5 million soldiers to war over a 15 year period without ever declaring war

Question 24

How is the impotence of Congress reflected in the air strikes against Libya?

Answer 24

• Obama didn’t seek congressional authorisation for attacks on Libyan air defences in 2011
• Only after bombing started
• Obama sent Congress a letter
• As Commander in Chief he had constitutional authority for the attacks
• Justified by distinction between ‘limited military operation’ and ‘war’