650 Chapter 17 | Foreign PolicyHow this conflict is resolved will drive future policy choices. On the one hand, if
human rights concerns dominate or if the threat is seen as imminent, it is likely that
military operations will proceed. On the other hand, if North Korea is seen as making
threats it cannot carry out and if the cost of conflict (including the suffering of the
North and South Korean people following an attack) is seen as unacceptably high, then
the status quo of diplomacy and the promise of economic aid is likely to continue, even
as the threat posed by North Korean weapons remains.Unpacking the Conflict
Foreign policy matters. National security is a top priority for many Americans. The state
of the American economy, from home prices to the unemployment rate, is affected by
economic conditions elsewhere. Trade agreements with other nations determine how
much American companies are allowed to export and what taxes and fees they must
pay to import raw materials and other goods. It is hard to find a domestic issue that
does not have a foreign policy component.
Why did President Trump’s trade policies fail to work as advertised? As with many other
issues in politics, the importance of foreign policy is not matched by the ability of elected
officials to manage events and achieve desired outcomes. President Trump and his
supporters believed that a combination of punitive tariffs and demands for renegotiation
of existing trade agreements would increase U.S. exports and improve the American
economy, only to find that foreign leaders responded with their own punishments and
demands, leading to an outcome in which everyone was worse off. The problem is not
that Trump’s desire to reward his supporters by protecting American manufacturers
and exporters is bad per se. But in a world where all countries want to maximize exports
and protect domestic industries, the United States cannot have it both ways—it cannot
demand that other countries open their economies but accept U.S. restrictions.
Who gets to decide America’s foreign policy? How is foreign policy made? One
significant difference between foreign and domestic policies is the preeminent role
played by the president in determining America’s relations with other nations and its role
in the world. Even so, other actors, especially Congress, can block presidential initiatives
or set policy on their own. In fact, many presidential foreign policy powers, such as the
ability to change tariffs, have been delegated to the executive branch by Congress.
The most important thing to remember about foreign policy making is that it is
conflictual. It is tempting to think that because foreign policy involves dealing with
other countries, Americans should hold similar preferences and stand united. The
reality is that disagreements among elected officials over what to do against ISIL or
over trade agreements or any other question of foreign policy are not just attempts to
attract political support or get media attention. These differences of opinion reflect
real dilemmas over what government should do and how it should do it.
In all these respects, the issues discussed in this chapter, including the fight against
global terrorism, the Middle East, conflicts with China over trade policy, and persuading
Iran and North Korea to curb their nuclear ambitions, are not exceptions to the rule;
rather, they epitomize just how close to home foreign policy is. Ordinary Americans
are finding their lives increasingly affected by actions taken outside U.S. borders—a
trend that is likely to continue over the next generation. And the political process will
determine how these pressing foreign policy questions will be resolved.Full_18_APT_64431_ch17_614-654.indd 650 16/11/18 11:22 AM