476 CHAPTER 15|FOREIGN POLICY
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The principal foreign policy department in the executive branch
is the Department of State. Its head, the secretary of state, acts as
the offi cial spokesperson for the United States in foreign relations
and is an important adviser to the president. Aside from senior staff
like the secretary of state, who is nominated by the president and
confi rmed by the Senate, State Department personnel are generally
career civil servants who remain in their positions even after a new
president takes offi ce.
State Department offi cials operate U.S. embassies abroad and
interact extensively with the leaders of other countries; they also
off er expertise on the politics, economics, and cultures of other
nations. There are many diff erent offi ces and working groups in the
State Department, from people who deal with treaties to coordinators of interna-
tional aid, arms control, or assistance for refugees. This wide variation highlights
the broad range of issues that are considered foreign policy.THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
The Department of Defense carries out military actions as ordered by civilian
authorities, ranging from full-scale wars such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan,
to smaller operations such as the ongoing drone attacks against Al Qaeda forces
throughout the Middle East.
The military’s role in foreign policy is not limited to uses of force. Military per-
sonnel also deliver humanitarian aid and help American citizens evacuate from
areas of confl ict. For example, U.S. Navy ships and helicopters delivered relief aid
to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, and wounded Haitians were airlifted to mili-
tary ships and facilities in the United States for medical treatment. Moreover, the
American military advises and trains armed forces in other countries, and senior
military personnel sometimes serve as consultants during foreign policy debates.
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 pres-
ident and senior leaders in the Defense Department) and Congress. In general, the
norm is that disagreements between the civilians and the military are accepted as
long as (1) they are kept private and (2) military leaders carry out without hesitation
the orders they are ultimately given. However, as in the case of General McChrys-
tal discussed in this chapter’s introduction, when disagreements become public
and when military leaders express a lack of confi dence in their civilian leaders, the
usual response is to replace these leaders immediately. Such a move refl ects the
bedrock principle of civilian control.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. Its responsibilities are to secure Amer-
ica’s borders, prevent future terrorist attacks, and coordinate intelligence gather-
ing. Although there has not been a major terrorist attack on American soil since
September 11, 2001, the Department of Homeland Security still works toward itsAS OBAMA’S FIRST SECRETARY
of state, Hillary Clinton was
instrumental in getting Myanmar—
widely viewed as having one of
the world’s most oppressive
governments— to introduce
economic and political reforms.
The United States rewarded
Myanmar by lifting sanctions and
increasing aid.
civilian control The idea that
military leaders do not formulate
military policy, but rather imple-
ment directives from civilian
leaders.