Lesson 71: Who Makes Foreign Policy?
In this lesson, we will learn about the powers granted to the president related
to foreign policy, and look specifically at the resources available to help him
make foreign policy decisions including the intelligence community and the
Department of Defense. We will also look at Congress�s attempts over the years
to limit the president when it comes to mobilizing troops and other defense
policy.
Article II, Section 1, requires that the president "solemnly swear" to "preserve,
protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Article II, Section 2, assigns him "Commander in Chief of the Army and
Navy of the United States." As Commander-in-Chief,
presidents have conducted at least 125 undeclared wars using this authority.
For example,
Bill Clinton had conflicts in
Haiti and Bosnia. George W. Bush sent troops to Afghanistan and Iraq. Barack
Obama sent air support to Libya.
Article II, Section 2 further grants the power to make treaties, with approval
from the Senate, and the power to appoint ambassadors and to recognize foreign
governments.
Within the executive branch, the Department of State, the National Security
Council, the intelligence community, and the Department of Defense are also
policymaking resources.
Since it has primary authority over foreign affairs, it only makes sense that
the Department of State make the list. However, traditionally, the Department
of State has been viewed as the slow bureaucratic agency everyone loathes.
Under Barack Obama, that image was changed with Hillary Clinton and John Kerry.
He meant it when he said the State Department was the nation's chief foreign
policy adviser.
The National Security Council's purpose is to brief the president on how
domestic, foreign, and military policies integrate relative to the national
security.
The national security adviser's impact changes from
president to
president. Normally, they have a huge impact and are
part of the president's cabinet, but under Barack Obama, the national security
advisor played a minor role and was not included in the cabinet.
The intelligence community refers to the government agencies that gather
information about the capabilities and intentions of foreign governments or
that engage in covert actions. As far as foreign policy is concerned, the CIA
has participated in the overthrow of governments and they came under attack for
it when Congress decided to investigate them.
They have also come under attack for spying on American citizens,
which at one time was considered strictly forbidden.
As a response to terrorism, the CIA has received more funding and
has been given more liberties. Some people worry civil liberties are at stake
while others contend that these are the types of measures that keep America safe.
Waterboarding is one such controversial topic. Under the Bush administration,
Dick Cheney denied that waterboarding was a form of torture even though the
government had defined it as one. President Obama denounced the practice even
though he vowed that any person who had participated under an agency that
allowed it would not suffer penalization.
Headed by a civilian secretary of Defense,
the Department of Defense (DOD) was created to bring all of the military
establishment under one roof. The Joint Chiefs of Staff act together to
formulate a unified military strategy.
During the presidency of Richard Nixon,
the Vietnam War brought about a need for Congress to
limit the powers of the president in setting foreign and defense policy.
The 1973 War Powers Resolution limited the president's use of troops in
military action without consulting Congress. Most presidents have interpreted
that resolution in a way that allows them to send troops and then inform
Congress about it later.
Congress can withhold funds. That is a strategy it often uses to
check the president, but sometimes it can backfire.
With George W. Bush,
Congress had written a decision that the president needed to add a timeline for
withdrawing troops to his request for funds. He immediately threatened to veto
any bill that mentioned anything to that effect.
Congress had to back down as they simply did not have the votes to
override a veto.