Key Terms
What is Balance of Trade?
The relationship between a country's inflow and outflow of goods.
What is the main goal of U.S. foreign policy for security?
The main goal is to protect U.S. citizens & allies from war, terrorism, & economic issues.
What are public laws?
Policies passed by congress & president that affect the public.
What two key international agreements did former president Trump walk away from?
The Iran-nuclear deal and the Paris climate change accord.
What is liberal internationalism?
Liberal internationalism advocates a foreign policy approach in which the United States becomes proactively engaged in world affairs.
What is Diplomacy?
The establishment and maintenance of a formal relationship between countries.
What does the United Nations do in U.S. foreign policy?
It helps keep peace, support, human rights, build good relationships between countries, with the U.S. involved in its work.
What is the War Powers Resolution?
A requirement for the president to get congressional approval to continue military action beyond 60 days.
What positions in the Executive branch that deal with foreign affairs do most legislators try to move into?
Secretary of State defense, CIA director, or even president.
What did neo-isolationism mean in the 21st century?
Neo-isolationism meant distancing the U.S. from the United Nations and other international organizations that get in the way.
What is Hard power?
The use or threat of military power to influence the behavior of another country.
What makes international relations a challenge for the U.S.?
There is no global authority to enforce how countries should interact.
What is the purpose for reauthorization of federal agencies?
Re-authorization ensures federal agencies can continue their operations & receive funding every two years.
Who deals with he complex activities of U.S. foreign affairs?
White house staff, executive branch, and congressional leaders.
What are some traditional concepts of foreign policy that remain helpful to this day?
Isolationism, the idealism versus realism debate, liberal internationalism, hard versus soft power, and the grand strategy of U.S. foreign policy.
What is a Treaty?
An international agreement entered by the United States that requires presidential negotiation with other nation(s), consent by two-thirds of the Senate and final ratification by the president.
How do different types of government affect U.S. foreign policy?
Countries with different governments make it harder for the U.S. t workout agreements.
What is the difference between a treaty & an executive agreement?
A treaty requires senate approval by 2/3rds vote while on executive agreement is done by the president without senate.
Who does the president/presidential staff give updates on foreign affairs to?
The speaker of the house, the house minority leader, and the senate majority and minority leaders.
Why did many people change their views about how the U.S. approached foreign affairs?
The debacle of the U.S.'s involvement in the civil war in Vietnam in the years leading up to 1973 caused many to rethink about the United State's containment approach to the cold war.