636 Chapter 17 | Foreign Policyany particular domestic policy, even though domestic policy as a general category
took priority over foreign policy.^45 However, as the attacks receded into the past, the
intensity of public concern about preventing future attacks declined somewhat as
well, and domestic concerns such as economic growth and unemployment became
the paramount concern of most Americans, as noted in Chapter 6. The same
pattern is true for more recent terrorist attacks, as well as other major international
events, such as the civil war in Syria or the threat of nuclear weapons use by
North Korea.Intergovernmental Organizations, Nongovernmental Organizations, and
International Organizations America’s relationship with the rest of the world is
not just about government action. Members of intergovernmental organizations
(IGOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) provide information and
humanitarian assistance and carry out other activities that the U.S. government is
unable or unwilling to undertake. IGOs are associations of sovereign states, while
NGOs are private organizations. Thousands of IGOs and NGOs operate throughout
the world.^46
A primary goal of NGOs and IGOs is promoting global economic development
and growth. One of the largest IGOs, the World Bank, funds economic development
projects throughout the world. Another IGO, the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
helps countries manage budget deficits and control the value of their currencies. Many
NGOs, such as the Asia Foundation, focus on development in a particular region or on
certain activities, such as microlending, in which banks or other institutions provide
small loans to citizens in developing nations as a way of stimulating business growth
and reducing poverty.
A second role of NGOs is providing humanitarian relief. In the wake of a disaster
such as an earthquake or a flood, or during a famine or a war, organizations such as
Oxfam International supply populations in crisis with basic necessities. Other groups
such as Doctors without Borders provide medical care to populations threatened by
violence, epidemics, or natural disasters. These groups played a key role in the response
to Ebola outbreaks in Africa. Some NGOs also promote human rights. Amnesty
International spotlights international cases of people jailed for their political beliefs
or held without trial and the use of cruel punishments such as stoning. Amnesty’s
campaigns, as well as those of other NGOs, are not always supportive of U.S. policy. In
recent years, for example, Amnesty has criticized the rendition of terror suspects by the
United States.^47
Finally, NGOs help build democracies. The Open Society Foundations fund
efforts to increase mass political participation, strengthen political organizations,
and verify the fairness of elections in new democracies throughout the world. The
National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute conduct
similar activities—both organizations, for example, are working with groups in
countries such as Burma, Ukraine, and Pakistan to increase the transparency
of electoral institutions, recruit candidates, and help citizens build political
organizations.
The United States is also a member of many international organizations. Best
known is the United Nations (UN), an assembly of ambassadors representing almost
all of the world’s nations that addresses issues of worldwide concern. The UN is
involved in economic development, environmental protection, humanitarian relief,
and peacekeeping efforts. The UN has deployed peacekeeping forces to separate
warring parties in Africa, the Middle East, and the former Yugoslavia. As of fall
2018, more than 100,000 UN peacekeeping troops, police, and other personnel were
deployed in 19 different areas.intergovernmental
organizations (IGOs)
Organizations that seek to coordinate
policy across member nations.
nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs)
Groups operated by private
institutions (rather than
governments) to promote growth,
economic development, and other
agendas throughout the world.
World Bank
A nongovernmental organization
established in 1944 that provides
financial support for economic
development projects in developing
nations.
International Monetary
Fund (IMF)
A nongovernmental organization
established in 1944 to help stabilize
the international monetary system,
improve economic growth, and aid
developing nations.United Nations (UN)
An international organization
made up of representatives from
nearly every nation, with a mission
to promote peace and cooperation,
uphold international law, and provide
humanitarian aid.Full_18_APT_64431_ch17_614-654.indd 636 16/11/18 11:21 AM