Exam 3 Flashcards
What is the definition of alliances?
A formal or informal association of states for the (threat of) use of military force, in specified circumstances, against actors external to the alliance
What is a bilateral alliance?
An alliance with two states
What is a multilateral alliance?
An alliance with 3 or more states
Are most alliance offensive or defensive?
Defensive
What are related concepts to alliances?
Strategic partnerships (less commitment), non-aggression pacts, coalitions, hedging
What is a coalition?
Transitory cooperation (no permanent headquarters/staff/budgets)
What is hedging?
Adopting ambiguous practices to avoid having to choose sides
What are some international determinants of alliances?
Face a rising power, face a rising threat, to control allies, and obtain foreign assistance
What are some domestic determinants of alliances?
Similar regime-type and ideology (facilitate common interests and threat assessments), domestic political calculations (enhance the legitimacy of a weak leader), alliances among liberal states are especially song (but different ideologies is not always a barrier to alliance)
How are alliances institutionalized?
Bureaucracies have a vested interest in self-perpetuation and have an interest in task expansion
How do alliances cause socialization?
Allies increasingly trade and exchange tech/ideas/people and members develop deeper affinities with each other
How many allies does the US have?
68
What was America’s stance on alliances before 1941?
Alliances were seen as a risk and constraint
What was the first turning point in the US stance on alliances?
Pear Harbor
When was Pearl Harbor?
1941
What was the US realization on alliances after Pearl Harbor?
Made US leaders adopt a strategy of defense in depth, or a need to have US bases in Eurasia to stem potential threats
What was the second turning point in the US stance on alliances?
The globalization of the Cold War
What happened in 1950 that made the US realize they need alliances?
The Sino-Soviet alliance and the Korean War
What alliances did the US create after 1950 in response to the globalization of the Cold War?
NATO/ANZUS/alliance with Japan/CENTO/SEATO
What was the stance of the US on alliances post-Cold War?
Renewed endorsement
Why do some scholars believe that alliances are a huge asset to the US?
The deter adversaries, huge boost for US prestige, and make other states dependent on the US
Why do some scholars believe alliances can hurt US interests?
Risk of entrapment in local conflicts, risk of major financial burdens, risk of allies free-riding, and risk of antagonizing non-members
What are the main difficulties of US alliance management?
Tensions between military integration and political autonomy, different threat assessments, political backlash against US bases abroad, and cultural barriers
When was NATO created?
1949
What does Article 5 of the NATO charter say?
An attack against on member shall be considered an attack against all
What were US goals in NATO originally?
Contain the Soviet Union, prevent Germany’s reemergence, create the conditions of Western European prosperity, and entrench US influence in Western Europe
What happened to NATO post Cold War?
After the Soviet Union’s collapse, many expected NATO to die, but there were new members and new missions for NATO
What are the reasons for NATOs legitimacy?
The residual threat from Russia, new threats (like civil wars and terrorism), institutionalization/socialization, too for democratization, and prevent the emergence of an independent European military
Where did NATO go out of region after the Cold War?
Post 9/11, went to Middle East, but turned to Asia in 2017
What factors could disrupt America’s alliance networks in the future?
Relative decline of US power, the threat of Trump winning the presidency in 2024, and the threat of China’s economic appeal continuing to grow
Why have most states supported economic liberalism?
Free trade is good for every country, states should support private initiative, and states should pursue absolute gains
Since what period has the US promoted economic liberalism?
Post 1945
What are geoeconomic strategies?
The use of economic instruments to advance strategic objectives vis a vis other states. Neutralize your rivals geoeconomic strategies.
How do states invest in economic fundamentals to win great power competition?
Investments in math and science, investments in higher education systems
How do states protect strategic sectors with tariffs and subsidies?
Creation of Airbus to reduce Europe’s dependency on the US in the critical sector of aerospace, reorienting supply chains away from China to reduce dependency.
How do states encourage national companies to invest in other states’ strategic sectors?
Supporting investments in African uranium mines, backing Google’s investment in Germany
How do states leverage the size of their national market to obtain concession?
US agreements with LA to reduce reliance on Nazi Germany, China’s required technology transfers from Western companies
How do states create trade/investment controls?
New US regulations against Chinese tech acquisitions
How do states control international organizations?
IMF/WB spreading US standards in the third world, giving more money to US allies
How do states use foreign loans/aid to make other states dependent?
Marshall plan for Western Europe to stem communism and dominate the region, aid to African countries
How do states sign trade agreements that pull friends in your direction and keep rivals away?
Obama’s efforts in the TPP (but Trump withdrew in 2017, and since 2021, Biden hasn’t been able to revive the agreement), China’s RCEP trade agreement
How do states use sanctions to obtain strategic concessions?
Direct application of economic pressure, but risky. Can increase the targeted state’s resistance, can harm civilian populations in the target state, can hurt the country that imposed sanctions
When was the belt and road initiative started?
2013
What are the key features of the belt and road initiative?
Build infrastructure to connect China to Eurasia, means: FDI and trade, key domains: transport, energy, digital, finance
What are China’s main assets that hep with BRI?
State control and massive financial support
How does the BRI help secure China’s peripheries?
FDI/Loans/Infrastructure in surrounding areas, like Tibet, Xinjiang, South Asia, and Central Asia
What are the strategic benefits to China of securing their peripheries?
Reduce the risk of terrorism, stabilize relations with neighbors, reduce US local influence
How can BRI help China build influence near maritime chokepoints?
Control in the Malacca Strait, Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Panama Canal
What are the potential strategic benefits of China building influence near maritime chokepoints?
Facilitate China’s access to economic centers and natural resources, incentivize local states to oppose any US blockade on China
How does the BRI circumvent the US military encirclement of China?
Could reduce America’s ability to blockade China’s oil imports from the Middle East
How does the BRI incentivize other states to get closer to China?
As states become more dependent on China’s market/loans/FDI, they have incentives to support Beijing in other areas
What is some skepticism about BRI?
Many projects have stalled, controversies over labor/environmental/management standards, BRI’s debt trap diplomacy is unpopular, BRI is a financial disaster, unsustainable, and Western initiatives to rival BRI
What are some counterarguments to skepticism about BRI?
Most of the debt of the global south is owed to Western creditors, many developing countries were ignored before BRI, China has made adjustments to BRI, BRIs coverage in the US/West is often biased, Western alternatives only exist on paper
What is energy security?
The assured delivery of adequate of supplies of affordable energy to meet a state’s requirements, even in times of international crisis or conflict
How does energy security also apply to fossil fuel exporters?
They need stable markets and good prices, so there’s a need for global prosperity and they need to coordinate their production
Why will world energy consumption rise in the near future?
Growing populations and global economies
How is the global economy still being based in the consumption of fossil fuels a challenge to energy security?
They are located in more remote or hard to reach locations, expensive techniques, uncertain results, and deposits in the global commons are contested
Are fossil fuels growing or declining?
Declining
How are fossil fuel economies vulnerable?
In more than 20 countries, fossil fuels make up more than 50% of their export revenues, loss in economic/geopolitical influence, unrest due to domestic unemployment
What are the uncertainties surrounding green energy?
How, how much, and when should we invest in green energy?
How are energy supply routes increasingly vulnerable?
Extended/overstretched networks, natural wear and tear of infrastructure, attacks, climate change, great power attacks
How can states optimize their means of action?
energy
Creation of energy bureaucracies and task forces, like the US Department of Energy, or state-owned/state-controlled companies, like the CNPC in China
How can governments influence private energy business activities?
New laws and new tax incentives, like communist party officials on every private oil company, and US government cooperation with American oil companies
How can states optimize domestic production of energy?
Through new domestic sources of supply, like during the Shale gas revolution
When was the Shale gas revolution?
mid 2000s
What were the effects of the shale gas revoltion?
Bolstered the US economy, US became the world’s main oil producer, reduced US dependency on the Middle East, curbed Russia’s influence
Why do states increase their stocks of energy?
To be used during a war and alleviate domestic economic tensions
Why do states acquire overseas energy assets?
To guarantee supplies in case of war
Why do states optimize supply lines?
To maximize providers, routes, and types of energy
Why is China trying to diversify its energy supplies and energy routes?
To reduce America’s ability to blockade China’s oil imports from the Middle East near the Strait of Malacca or along China’s coastline
When have states conquered oil-producing areas for energy security?
Japan invading Borneo and Nazis invading Azerbaijan (both 1941-1942)
When have states defended oil-rich areas from conquest?
1979: US growing military presence in the Middle East
1990-1991: US intervention against Iraq
How can energy exports be an enabler of foreign policy?
Using energy supplies strengthens state power, like how coal fed Britain’s 19th century hegemony, since other navies were dependent on British coal supplies
How can energy be a cement in alliances?
Source of economic/military assistance, source of diplomatic support
Ex: 1945: Saudi-US oil for security, today: Venezuela’s anti-American alliance with Bolivia and Cuba, 1945: Europe, NATO, US control over the oil resources of the middle east
What were Russia’s attempts to keep leverage over the EU before 2022 in terms of energy?
More than 30% of EU gas supply. 2011: Completition of Nord Stream 1, 2021: Completion of Nord Stream 2
What Wass the rationale of the Nord Stream for Russia?
Make Germany highly dependent, increase EU dependency, marginalize Ukraine
What is the definition of terrorism?
The calculated use of violence or threat of violence to insulate fear. Intended to coerce or intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological
Why are the waves of terrorism?
1880s: anarchist wave
1920s-1960s: anti-colonial wave
1960s-late1990s: New Left Wave
1979-:religious wave
How are patterns of terrorism more nuanced than the typology of waves of terrorism suggests?
Coexistence of different types of terrorism over time, constant mutations, terrorists often have multiple identities, terrorist movements learn from each other
What factors enabled terrorism in the mid-19th century?
Progress in war technology (invention of revolver, grenade), mass communication and transportation technologies allow ideas to spread more rapidly and allows for individual travel, and the spread of politics within the masses
What is the socialist/anarchist type of terrorism?
Overthrow traditional elites/royalty
What is social exclusion terrorism?
Terrorism against a community.
KKK: created in 1865 after the end of the Civil War, beatings/lynchings/bombings/assassinations, declined after Civil Rights Movement
The Black Hundreds (Russia): 1906- assassinated two Jewish members of the Russian Duma. Pogroms against Jewish communities
What is nationalist terrorism?
Terrorism against colonial governments
What is religious terrorism?
Sikh terrorism against the Indian govenrment, Buddhist violence against the Muslims of Myanmar, and radical Islamism
Why is suicide terrorism so important?
They represent only 3% of the world’s terrorist attacks but 48% of the deaths
What is the profile of suicide terrorists?
Uneducated, unemployed, isolated, single, young, men, but growing diversity