US Foreign Policy
Prof. Kurt Mills
POSC 370
James Madison University
Spring 2003
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00 - 3:30, and by appointment
Office: 217 Maury
Phone: x86952
E-mail: mills2ka@jmu.edu
At no time in the history of the world has there been a country with such an
overwhelming advantage in raw power. In the coming year, the US will spend approximately
as much money on the military as every other country in the world combined.
Since the end of the Cold War, it has been referred to as the sole remaining
superpower. The French refer to the US as a hyperpower. Regardless of the term
used, the US has overwhelming military capabilities. At the same time, the mood
in the country seems to be one of heightened vulnerability. How is this possible?
Why should the strongest political entity ever to exist feel at risk? Is this
perception correct? What should it do about it? In other words, how can and
should the US act in the world?
At the core of this question are issues of history, perception, strategy, and
ethics. To answer these questions and examine these issues, we will do several
things in the course. First, to understand how we got to where we are, we will
spend a few weeks looking at the history of US foreign policy from World War
II onwards, touching on the beginning of the Cold War, the US’ major military
involvements, the arms race, the period of détente, the renewed cold
war of the 1980s, and its dramatic end.
Then, we will look at a series of challenges the US faces in its foreign policy
and examine its options in meeting these dilemmas. In particular, we will ask
whether a unilateralist or multilateralist stance—or both—seems the
best route to the US achieving its foreign policy goals. Throughout the class,
we will also examine how US foreign policy is made, paying particular attention
to the actors involved--including the President, Congress, and the media.
I start with the assumption that you will learn more the greater you are involved
with the material covered in class. Thus, there will be elements of class discussion
as well as lectures, writing, exams, and interactive activities.
The formal requirements for the course are as follows:
1) Do the Reading. To gain an adequate understanding of the basic concepts
and to be able to participate in class discussion, you must do all of the assigned
reading. Readings can be found in two books ordered for the class, as well as
a reading packet. I may also distribute short readings via e-mail, the Internet
or handouts. Required books are:
•Stephen Ambrose and Douglas Brinkley, Rise to Globalism: American Foreign
Policy Since 1938, 8th Revised Edition (New York: Penguin, 1997.
•Joseph Nye, The Paradox of American Power: Why the World’s Only
Superpower Can’t Go It Alone (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002).
2) Follow the News. Throughout the semester, we will tie the concepts
and ideas covered in the course to current international political events. During
some class meetings we will start with a brief discussion of some of the most
important international developments and how they relate to the United States,
and following the international news regularly will help provide a common base
from which all of us can work. The best paper for general international news
is the New York Times, which is also available on the Internet (www.nytimes.com).
The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) provides a slightly more “inside
the beltway” focus. You should be prepared with questions and comments
on news affecting US foreign policy.
3) Class Participation And Attendance. Class attendance is crucial since
much of the class is based on what goes on in the classroom, and you will be
unable to fully engage with the material in the course if you do not attend
class on a regular basis. Beyond attendance, however, one of the best ways for
me to ensure that you have mastered the course material is to evaluate your
participation in class. Thus, you are expected to take an active part in the
general discussion in the class. This includes the regular news discussions
mentioned above. Quality of comments and questions is valued more than quantity.
Attendance and participation will be 15% of the final course grade.
4) Map Quiz. An important part of understanding international relations
and the United State’s position in the world is being familiar with how
the world is divided up politically—in others words, knowing what countries
are where. On February 11, you will be given a blank map and asked to identify
a number of countries. 5% of the final course grade. World
Map.
5) Midterm Exam. The midterm exam will be given during the week of Feb.
25. 15% of the final course grade.
6) Memo to the President. In groups of 3-4 people, you will act as the
US National Security Advisor. You will choose a particular foreign policy dilemma
facing the US and a write a memo to the President laying out possible policy
responses and your preferred response. This memo will have two parts—a
one page executive summary laying out the main points and a 15 page paper which
discusses the alternatives in detail and lays out why you chose your preferred
option. Issues might include whether or not the US should invade Iraq, whether
or not the US should sign the statute of the International Criminal Court, or
whether to push for a hemisphere-wide free trade area (this list is not exhaustive).
At the end of the semester, each group will give a briefing to the class. Due
on the final day of class. 25% of the final course grade.
6) US Foreign Policy Country Journal. You will choose a country from
a list I will provide and briefly discuss its history with the US, how the US
has conducted it foreign policy towards this country, and what its interests
in this country are. Then, during the semester you will track your country in
the news, taking note when something happens that might affect the US and how
the US responded. In a final essay of 750-1000 words, discuss how the US’
relationship with this country fits into the issues and themes we have talked
about in class. I also expect that as you become an expert on your particular
country that you will share your expertise and insights with the class during
class discussions. This is a semester-long project. Do not wait until the end
of the semester to work on this. Extensions on this project will not be granted.
Due April 15. 20% of the final course grade.
7) Final Book Review Essay. Towards the end of the semester we will read
the Paradox of American Power by Joseph Nye. Write a 5-7 review essay
of this book. Identify the author’s main points of analysis and policy
prescriptions and critique them. Do you agree with his ideas? Why or why not?
How does this book tie in with the rest of the class? This will count as a take
home final exam and will be due on May 5. 20% of the final course grade.
Other Policies:
The policies in this syllabus will be strictly adhered to. If you are unable
to follow these policies at any time during the semester, please consult with
me in person as you become aware of any difficulty. Do not wait until the end
of the semester to raise your concerns.
You are encouraged to come talk with me about questions you may have regarding
the material in the class. Further, since a significant portion of your grade
comes at the end of the semester, I will be happy to discuss your performance
in the class with you at any time.
E-mail: All class members must have an e-mail address that they check
regularly. I will distribute announcements and other materials via e-mail.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a very serious offense within the University
community, and will not be tolerated under any circumstances in this class.
Suspected plagiarism and other academic violations will be dealt with according
to the Honor Code.
Papers: All papers are to be typed, double-spaced, in a 12 point font.
You are responsible for all errors in your papers, including grammatical and
spelling mistakes. When appropriate, papers should have footnotes and a bibliography.
Do not confine yourself solely to resources found on the Internet. When appropriate,
papers should include scholarly articles. Encyclopedias are generally not considered
to be valid sources for academic papers.
Late Papers: Late papers will be significantly penalized.
Failure to complete an assignment is grounds for failure in the course.
I reserve the right to modify this syllabus during the course of the semester.
Participation in this course implies acceptance of all of the policies and
requirements stated in this syllabus.
Week 1: Introduction
(Jan. 14, 16)
•Read the syllabus
Week 2: WW II and the Approaching Cold War
(Jan. 21, 23)
•Ambrose: “Introduction”, pp. IX-XIV
•Ambrose: “The Twisting Path to War,” pp. 1-14
•Ambrose: “The War in Europe,” pp. 15-34
•Ambrose: “The War in Asia,” pp. 35-51
•Ambrose: “The Beginnings of the Cold War,” pp. 52-74
•Ambrose: “The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan,” pp. 75-94
•Ambrose: “Containment Tested.” pp. 95-113
•Resources:
•NSC 68: United States Objectives and Programs for National Security (April 14, 1950) (Online) (See the original document here)
•“X,” “The Sources of Soviet Conduct,” Foreign Affairs 25 (July 1947): 566-82 (Online)
Week 3: The Cold War: Korea, Cuba, Vietnam
(Jan. 28, 30)
•Ambrose: “Korea,” pp. 114-126
•Ambrose: “Eisenhower, Dulles, and the Irreconcilable Conflict,”
pp. 127-150
•Ambrose: “From Hungary and Suez, to Cuba,” pp. 151-170
•Ambrose: “Kennedy and the New Frontiers,” pp. 171-189
•Ambrose: “Vietnam: Paying the Cost of Containment,” pp. 190-223
•Ambrose: “Nixon, Détente, and the Debacle in Vietnam,”
pp. 224-253
•Resources:
•James Risen, “The C.I.A. in Iran,” The New York Times (April 16, 2000) (Online)
•National Security Archives Briefing Book on The Secret CIA History of the Iran Coup, 1953 (Online)
Week 4: Détente and the Evil Empire
(Feb. 4, 11)
•Ambrose: “America in the Middle East and Africa,” pp. 254-280
•Ambrose: “Carter and Human Rights,” pp. 281-302
•Ambrose: “Reagan and the Evil Empire,” pp. 303-351
•Movie: Faces of the Enemy
•Resources:
•National Security Archives Briefing Book on the CIA in Latin America (Online)
Week 5: The End of the Cold War—And On to the Gulf War
(Feb. 11, 13)
•Feb. 11: Guest Speaker—Prof. Larry Goodson, US Army War
College
•Ambrose: “The End of the Cold War,” pp. 352-380
•Ambrose: “Bush and the Gulf War,” pp. 381-397
•Alex Roberto Hybel, “A Fortuitous Victory: An Information Processing
Approach to the Gulf War,” in Eugene Wittkopf and James McCormick, eds.,
The Domestic Sources of American Foreign Policy: Insights and Evidence,
pp. 333-350
Week 6: Now What? The Clinton Years
(Feb. 20)
•Ambrose: “Clinton and the Democratic Enlargement,” pp. 398-428
•Samuel Huntington, “The Erosion of American National
Interests,” in Eugene Wittkopf and James McCormick, eds., The Domestic
Sources of American Foreign Policy: Insights and Evidence, pp.12-14
•President Bill Clinton, "A National Security Strategy for a New
Century," December 1999, PDF
and HTML formats
(Online)
Week 7: Midterm/Professor Out of Town
(Feb. 25, 27)
Week 8: The Bush Doctrine/TBA
(Mar. 3, 5)
•President George W. Bush, "The National Security Strategy
of the United States," September 2002, PDF
and HTML formats (Online)
•"Why We Fight,"
This American Life (December 20, 2002) (Online)
Week 9: Challenges: Humanitarian Intervention
(Mar. 18, 20)
•Jon Western, “Sources
of Humanitarian Intervention: Beliefs, Information, and Advocacy in the U.S.
Decisions on Somalia and Bosnia” (Online)
•Samantha Power, “Bystanders
to Genocide: Why the United States Let the Rwandan Genocide Happen,”
The Atlantic Monthly (September 2001) (Online)
•Howard Tolley, “President
Clinton’s Response to Kosovo,” Teaching Human Rights Online (Online)
•Movie: The Triumph of Evil
Week 10: Challenges: Multilateralism vs. Unilateralism
(Mar. 25, 27)
•Margaret Karns and Karen Mingst, “The United States as ‘Deadbeat’?
U.S. Policy and the UN Financial Crisis,” in Stewart Patrick and Shepard
Forman, eds., Multilateralism & U.S. Foreign Policy: Ambivalent Engagement,
pp. 267-294
•Bartram Brown, “Unilateralism, Multilateralism, and the International
Criminal Court,” in Patrick and Forman, pp. 323-344
•Jessica T. Mathews, “Estranged Partners,” Foreign Policy
(November/December 2001): 48-53
•Christopher Hitchens, “Rogue
Nation USA,” Mother Jones (May/June 2001) (Online)
Week 11: Challenges: The Middle East and the “War on Terrorism”
(Apr. 1, 3)
•Bernard Lewis, “The
Roots of Muslim Rage,” The Atlantic (September 1990) (Online)
•Michael T. Klare, “Global Petro-Politics: The Foreign Policy Implications
of the Bush Administration’ Energy Plan,” Current History (December
2001)
•Augustus Richard Norton, “America’s Approach to the Middle East:
Legacies, Questions, and Possibilities,” Current History (January
2002)
•US Department of State, “Patterns
of Global Terrorism” (Online)
Week 12: Challenges: Globalization
(Apr. 8, 10)
•Nye: “The American Collossus,” pp. 1-40
•Nye: “The Information Revolution,” pp. 41-76
•Nye: “Globalization,” pp. 77-110
•“Globalization’s
Last Hurrah,” Foreign Policy (Jan./Feb. 2002) (Online)
Week 13: Challenges: What Is The National Interest? And How
Do We Get There?
(Apr. 15, 17)
•Nye: “The Home Front,” pp. 111-136
•Nye: “Redefining the National Interest,” pp. 137-172
•Condoleezza Rice, “Promoting the National Interest,” Foreign
Affairs 79 (January/February 2000): 45-62
•TBA
Week 14: Memos to the President
(Apr. 22, 24)
Week 15: Memos to the President/Wrap-Up
(Apr. 29, May 1)
•Country Journal Due