American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

WHAT IS FOREIGN POLICY?| 469

WHAT IS FOREIGN POLICY?

Foreig n policy encompasses government actions involving countries, groups,

individuals, and corporations that lie outside America’s borders. Foreign pol-

icy includes military operations, economic interactions, human rights policies,

environmental agreements, foreign aid, democracy assistance, interventions in

civil wars and other confl icts, and international eff orts to limit weapons of mass

destruction, including nuclear weapons.

The goals behind many foreign policy actions are complex. For example,

some observers have argued that America’s invasion of Iraq in 2003 was aimed

at securing inexpensive oil for American businesses and consumers. Although

this goal may have motivated some politicians to support the war, others might

have believed that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction or was support-

ing terrorist groups. Alternatively, they might have thought that establishing a

democratic government in Iraq would serve as a model for other Middle Eastern

countries, or they might have wanted to end human rights abuses by the Iraqi gov-

ernment. As this example illustrates, foreign policy questions are not only com-

plex but also often highly confl ictual.

Because foreign policy is so complex, debates over what the United States should

do in a particular situation tend to be framed in terms of general principles. These

principles summarize the arguments on each side of a foreign policy question or, in

some cases, show how foreign policy issues that seem diff erent are actually quite

similar. The discussion in this section outlines an important distinction: unilat-

eral versus multilateral action; it also delineates two pairs of important concepts:

isolationism versus internationalism, and idealism versus realism. An additional

concept, constructivism, addresses how the leaders of a state interpret all of these

terms. Nuts and Bolts 15.1 summarizes these terms. The concepts are more than

theoretical guides for decision making; many international relations scholars see

them as descriptions of how states actually act.

Unilateral action occurs when one country does something on its own, with-

out coordinating with other countries. For example, some U.S. antiterror opera-

tions under both President Bush and President Obama, particularly in Pakistan,

THE LANGUAGE OF FOREIGN POLICY

NUTS & bolts

15.1

Realism Foreign policy is driven by a state’s national interest, as defi ned by its leaders.
Idealism Foreign policy refl ects the ideals held by a state’s leaders, such as protection of human
rights.
Isolationism States should, whenever possible, pursue their foreign policy goals by working together
with other nations.
Internationalism States should, whenever possible, work alone to defi ne and implement their foreign policy,
working with other nations only when absolutely necessary.
Constructivism Foreign policy is not determined by objective factors such as national interest, by ideologies
such as idealism, or by admonitions about working alone or with other nations but by how a
state’s leaders defi ne these factors.

foreign policy Government

actions that affect countries,

corporations, groups, or individuals

outside America’s borders.

unilateral action Independent

acts of foreign policy undertaken by

a nation without the assistance or

coordination of other nations.

DESCRIBE THE MAJOR

APPROACHES TO

UNDERSTANDING FOREIGN

POLICY AND TRACE HOW

AMERICA'S ROLE IN THE

WORLD HAS EVOLVED