Author Question: What is diplomacy? Under what circumstances is the president's foreign policy most likely to rely on ... (Read 127 times)

deesands · **on:** Jul 10, 2018

What is diplomacy? Under what circumstances is the president's foreign policy most likely to rely on diplomacy? Under what circumstances is the president most likely to rely on military action instead of diplomacy? Give an example of when the

United States has relied on diplomacy and when it has relied on military action. What role does diplomacy play in the war on terror? What forms might it take?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

How were the Cold War conflicts fundamentally different from more recent conflicts involving terrorism? What were the principal Cold War conflicts, and who were the principal combatants? How have recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan differed from

the Cold War conflicts? What changes in the approach to national security have been required because of terrorism?

What will be an ideal response?

Liamb2179 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 10, 2018

Answer to Question 1

An ideal response will:
1, Define diplomacy as exercising influence in relations with other nations through negotiations.
2, Outline when the president will rely on diplomacy to conduct foreign policy, such as when dealing with countries thatare U.S. allies, when dealing with issues that do not need to be resolved quickly, or when avoiding a military confrontation that is in the long-term best interest of the United States.
3, Outline when the president will rely on military action, such as when there is a direct and immediate threat to the United States, when dealing with a rogue leader who is not interested in diplomacy, or when a military strike can be effective without jeopardizing long-term U.S. interests.
4, Provide an example of the U.S. use of diplomacy, such as SALT, SALT II, the establishment of diplomatic relations with China, etc.
5, Provide an example of the U.S. use of direct military action, such as the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
6, Make a case for the importance of using diplomacy in the war on terror whenever possible, as military actions tend to inflame anti-American sentiment and cause terrorist groups to gain new recruits.
7, Propose that although direct negotiations with terrorists might fail, other forms of diplomacy, such as foreign aid to build national security in other countries, as well as other alternatives such as economic sanctions, might be used in the war on terror.

Answer to Question 2

An ideal response will:
1, Identify the main Cold War combatants as the United States and the Soviet Union.
2, Describe the fundamental differences between the Cold War and conflicts involving terrorism, including the types of combatants, the types of warfare, the goals, and the weapons used.
3, List the main characteristics of the Cold War, which included a period of increased tensions (but not live combat) between the United States and the Soviet Union, the desire to contain Soviet influence (and the accompanying spread of communism), and heavy buildup of nuclear weapons.
4, Detail the principal Cold War confrontations that involved strengthening those trying to ward off communist influence, such as in Greece, South Korea, and Berlin.
5, Describe the Vietnam War as a direct military conflict driven by the Cold War mentality about the need to stop the spread of communism in Asia.
6, Identify dtente as the beginning point of transformation from conflict thinking to cooperative thinking in foreign policy strategy.
7, Reveal how the Cold War conflict was finally resolved with the collapse of the Soviet Union, although the tensions had somewhat subsided during the dtente.
8, Discuss recent terrorist attacks and show how they reveal the main characteristics of terrorism, which include attacks by nongovernmental actors on civilian targets in order to demoralize populations and governments, the use of stealth and surprise, and the decentralized nature of the terrorist threat.
9, Review how the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were seen as efforts to prevent future terrorist attacks before they had fully developed.
10, Discuss how the wars had mixed results, with reconstruction in Iraq straining America's defense resources and the war in Afghanistan prompting Al Qaeda to transform itself into an umbrella organization that provides a focal point for loosely affiliated terrorist groups in various countries.
11, Conclude that the fight against terrorism will continue, that military force alone is not likely to suffice, and that political changes that erode and undermine support for the ideology and strategy of terrorists will be required.