William_T._Bianco,_David_T._Canon]_American_Polit

What is foreign policy? 617

Should We Act Alone? There are three important distinctions in foreign policy.

The first is between unilateral action and multilateral action. Unilateral action

occurs when one country does something on its own, without coordinating with other

countries. For example, some U.S. antiterrorism operations under recent presidents

have been undertaken without any consultation with or notice to U.S. allies, such

as the 2017 attack on an Al Qaeda group in Yemen, which was carried out by U.S.

forces without any notice to U.S. allies or the Yemeni government. Similarly, some

of President Trump’s actions during preparations for his June 2018 summit meeting

with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, such as the snap decision in May to cancel the

summit entirely (a decision Trump later reversed), were made without first talking with

U.S. allies.

American foreign policy more commonly involves multilateral action by the

United States alongside other countries or international organizations such as the UN.

For example, in 2018, after the Syrian government used chemical weapons against

civilians, the United States, Great Britain, and France launched a coordinated missile

attack to destroy several Syrian chemical weapons manufacture and storage facilities.

Along the same lines, the Quartet on the Middle East, a group comprising the United

States, Russia, the European Union (EU), and the UN, is working to facilitate peace

negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Should We Intervene? A second important distinction in foreign policy is between

isolationism and internationalism. Isolationists believe that the United States should

avoid making alliances and agreements with other nations, concentrate on defending

America’s borders, and let the people in other countries work out their problems for

themselves. In the case of the humanitarian crisis in Syria, an isolationist might argue

that U.S. intervention would be futile or potentially counterproductive, too costly, or

simply inappropriate—that it is not America’s problem to solve.^1

An internationalist, however, would argue that the United States should establish

many agreements with other nations and intervene in international crises whenever it

may be able to help, both because of possible economic and security gains and because

intervening in civil wars and helping solve humanitarian crises is morally right. In

the case of ISIL, internationalists would at a minimum support U.S. efforts to help

and protect the local population, either in concert with other nations or alone if other

nations were unwilling to intervene.^2

unilateral action (national)

Independent acts of foreign policy

undertaken by a nation without the

assistance or coordination of other

nations.

multilateral action

Foreign policy carried out by a nation

in coordination with other nations or

international organizations.

isolationism

The idea that a country should refrain

from involvement in international

affairs.

internationalism

The idea that a country should

be involved in the affairs of other

nations, out of both self-interest and

moral obligation.

NUTS

& B O LT S

1 7.1

Theories of Foreign Policy

Realism Foreign policy is driven by a state’s national interest, as defined by its leaders.

Liberalism Foreign policy reflects the ideals held by a state’s leaders, such as protection of human rights.

Internationalism States should, whenever possible, pursue their foreign policy goals by working together with other nations.

Isolationism States should, whenever possible, work alone to define and implement their foreign policy, working with other nations only

when absolutely necessary.

Constructivism Foreign policy is determined not by objective factors such as national interest, by ideologies such as liberalism, or by

admonitions about working alone or with other nations, but by how a state’s leaders define these factors.

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