Special Providence_ American Foreign Policy and How It Changed World - Walter Russell Mead

TheRiseandRetreatoftheNewWorldOrder 305

InthemilitaryinstitutionsandtheCongress,thepoliticalbalance
wasdifferent.Withinthemilitary,thehistoricalmemoryofVietnam
stillrunsdeep;overreaching--engagingina militaryconfrontationthat
theAmericanpeoplemaynotsupportoverthelongterm-remaineda
realfearinthePentagon.Additionally,therewasaninstitutionalresist-
ance tothenew structuresandproceduresrequiredforhumanitarian
interventions.Theskillsandattitudesneededtotakea hillarenotthe
sameasthoseneededforciviliancrowdcontrolandlawenforcement.
ShouldthePentagonbetrainingsoldiersorinternationalpolicemen?
Given these considerations, the Pentagon has becomesomething
of a center for Jeffersonian and Jacksonian thinking. The United
Statesshouldmakethesmallestnumberofinterventionsconsistentwith
nationalsafety,andbothhumanitarianinterventionsandinterventions
withlimitedforceshouldbemaderarelyifatal1.^23
Atthesametime,theJacksonianandJeffersonianoppositiontook
refugeintheCongressanditsarcane,minority-friendlyrules.Theclassic
institutionalstrugglebetweenthe executiveand legislativebranches
inAmericanpoliticswasexacerbatedandembitteredwheninsurgent
Republicans,manywithstrongJacksonian leanings,tookcontrolof
Congressin1994.
BillClintonquicklyfoundhimselfintheclassicpositionofthehead
ofanadministrationattemptingtoexecuteitsforeignpolicywithout
congressionalsupport.In theshortrunthisisn'timpossibleoreven
particularlydifficulttodo.UndertheAmericansystempresidentshave
substantialleewaytoconductpolicyfromdaytodaywithoutcongres-
sionalmandatesoraccountability.Theordinarybusinessofresponding
toeventsabroad,initiatingnegotiations,signingagreements,receiving
ambassadors,exchangingstatevisits,conductingintelligenceoperations,
arrangingeconomicbailouts,anddirectingmilitarydiplomacydoesnot
requirecongressionalapproval;thepresidenthasbroadpowertocarry
outtheforeignrelationsoftheUnitedStates.TheSenatemayrefuseto
ratifya treatyliketheComprehensiveTestBanTreaty, butthenthe
presidentcanneverthelessannouncethattheUnitedStateswillabideby
itslimits,andCongresshaslittlemoretodoorsay.Thesepowersshould
notbeunderestimated:ClintonwagedwaragainstYugoslaviawithout
theslightestshadowofafigleafofcongressionalconsent.
Overthelongrun,however,withoutcongressionalsupport,thecar
beginstoslow.Presidentslosemuchoftheirpowertoaccomplishany-
thingimportant.ThepresidentcanmakespeechesabouttheUNorthe