Foreign PolicyNovember 22, 2010

Two Presidency TheoryIn foreign policy…..

1. Fast Action

2. Information

3. Rally round flag

4. Groups weak

5. Congress defers

“Rally ‘round

the Flag”

Effect

Shifts in Carter’s Popularity During the Hostage Crisis

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

Oct-79

Nov-79

Dec-79

Jan-80

Feb-80

Mar-80

Apr-80

May-80

Jun-80

Jul-80 Aug-80

Sep-80

Oct-80

Nov-80P

erce

nta

ge

Say

ing

Pre

sid

ent

Do

ing

a G

oo

d J

ob

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eize

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ber

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res

cue

mis

sion

Ap

ril 2

5, 1

980

Ele

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5, 1

980

http://www.pollster.com/AAAPollsterBushApproval.php

7

President Bush Job ApprovalPresident Bush Job Approval

“Tis our true policy to steer clear permanent

alliances, with any portion of the foreign

world.”

-George Washington, Farewell Address,

September 17, 1796.

The President Vice PresidentWhite House Chief of Staff

National SecurityCouncil

(National SecurityAdvisor, Chair)

DefenseDepartment

(Secretary ofDefense)

StateDepartment

(Secretary ofState)

CentralIntelligence

Agency(Director ofIntelligence)

Joint Chiefs of StaffOf Armed Forces

(Chair, Vice-Chair,Four Service Chiefs

NavyDepartment

(Secretary of theNavy)

ArmyDepartment

(Secretary of the Army)

Air ForceDepartment

(Secretary of theAir Force)

Army(Chief of Staff

Marines(Commandant)

Navy(Chief of

Naval Operations)

Air Force(Chief of Staff)

Defense Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP

Presidential Power:

The President "shall have the power to make treaties . . . .”

Congressional Check:

"provided 2/3 of the Senators present concur."

Growing Presidential Power: Executive Agreements are Replacing Treaties

Presidential Power:

"The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the

United States.”

Congressional Check:

Only Congress can declare war.

An Invitation to Struggle

Executive Powers of President

“The executive power shall be vested in

the President of the United States.”

-Constitution

U.S. v. Curtiss Wright(1937)

Key Supreme Court Rulings

U.S. v. Curtiss-Wright:

There is “the very delicate, plenary and exclusive power

of the president as the sole organ of the federal government in

the field of international relations.”

The President has “a degree of discretion and freedom

from statutory restriction which would not be admissible were

domestic affairs alone involved. Moreover he, not Congress,

has the better opportunity of knowing the conditions which

prevail in foreign countries. He has its agents in the form of

diplomatic, consular and other officials.”

-Justice George Sutherland

Youngstown Steel

Youngstown Steel:

When a president “takes measures

incompatible with the expressed or implied

will of congress, his power is at its lowest

ebb.”

-Justice Robert Jackson

War Powers Resolution

Once the President has notified Congress that American troops have been committed, the President must obtain Congressional approval within sixty days in order to continue the commitment.

The Practical and the Ideal in American Foreign Policy

“No Government [can] give us tranquility and

happiness at home, which [does] not sufficient

stability and strength to make us respectable

abroad.”

-Alexander Hamilton

“The Declaration of Independence. . .

[gave] liberty, not alone to the people of

this country, but hope to the world for

all future time.”

-Abraham Lincoln

Practical v. Ideal: Current Debate

Interventions to promote Democracy? Or

Stay out of foreign conflicts?

Direct Action or Use of international agencies?

Global Warming? Seek International agreement?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

U.S. U.K. France Germany Russia Japan

World War I World War II

Per

cen

tage

of

adu

lt m

ale

pop

ula

tion

kil

led

in b

oth

w

orld

war

sCasualties of World War I and World War II

“No terms except an unconditional and

immediate surrender can be accepted.”

-Ulysses S. Grant,

February 16, 1862

The Rise and Decline of Bush I’s Approval Rating

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Jan-

89

Apr-89

Jul-8

9

Oct-8

9

Jan-

90

Apr-90

Jul-9

0

Oct-9

0

Jan-

91

Apr-91

Jul-9

1

Oct-9

1

Jan-

92

Apr-92

Jul-9

2

Oct-9

2

Per

cen

tag

e R

esp

on

din

g "

Ap

pro

ve"

US. completes successful invasion of Panama

Perot tops Bush in trial

heat

Bush initiates military action

against Iraq

Budget stalemateBush flip-flops on “no new

taxes” pledge he made during the 1988 campaign.

Bush declares “the war is over” and garners 89% - the highest approval rating in Gallop annals.

A defeated Bush sends troops to Somalia

Actual troop movement

Feint,nocontact

Kuwait CityKuwait

Al Basrah

IranIraq

Saudi Arabia Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf

Al Basrah

KuwaitKuwait

City

Iran

Teheran

Iraq

Baghdad

Amman

Jordan

Persian Gulf During the Hostage Crisis and Gulf War Periods

Saudi Arabia