William_T._Bianco,_David_T._Canon]_American_Polit

628 Chapter 17 | Foreign Policy

The Department of Defense The Department of Defense carries out military

actions as ordered by civilian authorities, ranging from large military operations such

as those in Afghanistan to smaller operations such as the ongoing drone attacks against

Al Qaeda and ISIL forces throughout the Middle East or the deployment of troops,

ships, and aircraft for training, humanitarian relief, and other purposes.

The military’s role in foreign policy is not limited to uses of force. Military personnel

also deliver humanitarian aid or help American citizens evacuate from areas of conflict.

For example, U.S. ships and helicopters delivered medical supplies and evacuated

patients from hospitals in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017. The American

military advises and trains armed forces in other countries, including hot spots such as

Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. And military personnel may also play a role in foreign policy

making, with senior military officials serving as consultants during policy debates and

midlevel officers serving in the NSC and on the staff of some congressional committees.

For example, General H. R. McMasters served as one of Donald Trump’s National

Security Advisors, and former general James Mattis is the secretary of defense.

The overriding principle of America’s military is the concept of civilian control—the

idea that military personnel do not formulate policy but rather implement directives

from their civilian leaders in the executive branch (the president and senior leaders

in the Defense Department) and Congress. Of course, just as in other areas of the

executive branch, members of the military are experts who will often know more than

their civilian leaders about the feasibility of goals and the best ways to achieve them.

What should a president do when military leaders disagree with his or her policy

goals? Their disagreement may reflect fundamental problems with the president’s

plans or simply indicate that military leaders would prefer a different policy. As we

discussed in Chapter 13, these dilemmas are inevitable in all areas of the bureaucracy,

including the military, given the reality of bureaucratic expertise. Most of the time,

such disagreements are resolved through dialogue. Other times, the president and

other civilian leaders may consult additional sources to either confirm the military’s

advice or negate it. In general, the norm is that military leaders are free to express their

disagreement as long as they do so in private and are willing to carry out the orders they

are ultimately given without hesitation.

The Department of Homeland Security The Department of Homeland Security

was formed after the September 11 attacks by combining the Coast Guard, the

Transportation Security Administration, the Border Patrol, and several other agencies.

The department’s responsibilities are to secure America’s borders, prevent future

terrorist attacks, and coordinate intelligence gathering. On the one hand, Homeland

Security’s record is exemplary: there has not been a major terrorist attack on American

soil since September 11, 2001. On the other hand, there is concern that many Homeland

Security policies (such as requiring extensive screening for all airline passengers)

impose large societal costs while having a marginal impact on safety.^36

Intelligence Agencies Agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and

National Security Agency (NSA) are primarily responsible for government intelligence

gathering. Most of their work consists of collecting information from public or

semipublic sources, such as data on industrial outputs. However, these agencies

also undertake covert operations to acquire intelligence, use satellites and other

technology to monitor communications, or even attack individuals, other nations, or

organizations. The Director of National Intelligence in the EOP leads and coordinates

the activities of the various intelligence agencies.

How Much Foreign Policy Power Does the President Have? Some people

argue that the broad powers of the modern presidency have allowed for “imperial

In 2018, American military personnel

acted as advisers or trainers in

155

countries.

Source: State Department report

DID YOU KNOW?

civilian control

The idea that military leaders do not

formulate military policy but rather

implement directives from civilian

leaders.

Full_18_APT_64431_ch17_614-654.indd 628 16/11/18 11:21 AM