Final Flashcards
What is an alliance?
Formal or informal association of state for the use of military force, unspecified circumstances, against actors external to the alliance
What is a bilateral alliance?
An alliance between two states
What is a multilateral alliance?
An alliance between three or more allies, with defense linkages between each member
What are strategic partners?
Less formal ties because in alliance is too politically sensitive
Why was George Washington against alliances?
Risk of compromising, US moral superiority, risk of losing strategic flexibility, risk that allies would try to interfere in US domestic politics, risk of a militarization of US foreign policy, risk of making new enemies
In what ways was there a post-World War I rejection of European politics?
The US Senate rejected the league of nations, Americans resented the number of US casualties in World War I, and they saw European atrocities as a sign that Europe was irredeemable
What is the effect of Pearl Harbor on alliances?
It convinced US leaders that they needed a strategy of defense in depth and to maintain US bases across the Eurasian continent to stem potential threats, so they needed peacetime alliances
What was America’s new alliance paradigm during the Cold War?
Permanent alliances and a global overseas presence
What area of the world is America’s first priority?
Europe
Why is Europe America’s first priority?
Economic and military potential, historical, cultural, and political affinities with the US, and proximity with the Soviet unions main power centers
What does article 5 of the NATO treaty say?
An armed attack against one or more of them in Europe, or North America, shall be considered an attack against them all
What were the goals of the United States in Europe?
To contain the Soviet union, create the conditions of western European prosperity, entrench US influence in Europe, and prevent Germany’s reemergence
How did western Europe’s dependency on NATO help the US dominate the region?
The US could impose advantageous trade, investment, and business terms on its allies, and dominated European military industries
What is America second priority?
Asia
What alliances does the US have in Asia?
1951: Philippines, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand. 1952: Japan. 1953: South Korea, 1954–1980: Taiwan
What are US objectives in Asia?
Contain the Soviet/China/North Korea, project American power and influence, and check Japan’s potential re-emergence
What were the initial uncertainties and decline of alliances following the end of the Cold War?
US debates about the merits of pulling back, some allies were less fond of US military presence, and the decline of US troops and bases overseas
How many allies does the United States currently have?
68
What percent of the global population is covered under the US global military network?
25%
What percent of the global GDP is among the US defense network?
75%
What percent of global military expenditures are made under the US global military network?
62%
Why do some scholars say alliances convert US interests?
Risk of entrapment in local conflicts, risk of incentivizing allies to be reckless, risk of losing strategic flexibility, risk of major financial burdens, risk of Allies free riding, risk of antagonizing nonmembers
Why do some scholars say alliances are a huge asset?
The US can project military power anywhere, it’s a huge boost for US prestige, the US can avoid entanglement, deter adversaries, opportunity to make other states make concessions
What was the Trump parenthesis?
The Trump administration criticized the cost of US defense contributions, criticized the allies unfair economic policies, and critiqued NATO
What is the Biden administration’s policy concerning allies?
In attempt to reassure allies that America is back from Trump, convergence against China’s global assertiveness, and using the Ukraine war to reassert its credibility with the NATO and beyond
What factors can disrupt America’s alliance network in the future?
A relative decline of US power, especially in Asia, what will happen if trump or a trumpian figure wins the presidency, what are the what if China’s economic appeal continues to grow
What is democracy?
Political model in which the people control the government
What is liberal democracy?
The rule of law, a separation of powers, and the protection of basic liberties of speech, assembly, religion, and property
What are human rights?
A set of principled ideas about the treatment to which all individuals are entitled by virtue of being human
What is the source of US exceptionalism?
Unique political features and providentialism
What are the main tenets of US exceptionalism?
The US has a responsibility to liberate other countries, the international communities traditional rules do not apply to the US, self perception as an innocent victim, exceptionalism triggers threat inflation
What is democracy promotion?
Activities, conducted by foreign actors, explicitly designed to contribute to the political liberalization of autocratic regimes
What is the contagion model of democracy promotion?
Simply being a source of inspiration
What is the conditionality model of democracy promotion?
Imposing sanctions or giving rewards
What is the coercion model of democracy promotion?
Military interventions to topple dictators
What is the dominant narrative about the US democracy promotion?
The most consistent tradition in American foreign policy has been the belief that the nations security is best protected by the expansion of democracy worldwide
What are the features of pre-classical liberal internationalism?
Independence from the British monarchy, against European imperialism in Latin America, manifest destiny, and US backed to constitutional reforms abroad, limited by the force of example, so no intervention
What was classic liberal internationalism?
US is now ready to conduct military interventions to help human rights in democracy, starting in 1898 in the Spanish American war which was partially designed to free the Cuban people
How did president Wilson exemplify classic liberal internationalism?
He said the US would fight World War I to make the world safe for democracy, and connected democracy to peace, but he was disavowed by the Congress and the people of the US
What was hegemonic liberal internationalism?
The US assumes government leadership, and imposes the liberal orders, interdependent foundations like free trade, international organizations and democracy
Why is imposing democracy the most important foundation of the liberal order?
Democracies do not fight each other, they enhance economic development, and are good partners in international organizations
What was democracy promotion like post-Cold War?
Democracy seem to be the end of history, and presidents sought to spread democracy and it’s ideals further
What is the era of progressive imperialism defined by?
Fixing failed states, the democratization of the greater middle east, US push in international organizations, but later, understanding that too aggressive or interventionist vision would be counterproductive
Why are some scholars arguing that America was just had an imperial drive for domination, but use the mantle of democracy and human rights?
The Monroe doctrine was so the US could dominate central and Latin America and America had an informal empire post World War II
What is imperialism?
The process by which one state employees instruments of power to choir control over peripheral peoples and territory, the loss of others liberty is unavoidable
What was the goal of Americas post World War II informal empire?
To extend the American system throughout the world, without the embarrassment of traditional European colonialism, with military bases and interventions, to protect the weak and using the rhetoric of human rights
Why do some scholars argue the US only promotes democracy and human rights when it’s in its interest?
When do US that some thing that advances democracy or human rights is often for other reasons
How many coups and assassinations did the United States commit during the Cold War?
64
How many elections did the United States and the Soviet interfere in?
117
Does the US support or cooperate with dictators?
Yes, including Saddam Hussein in the 80s and today Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia
How has foreign-led militarized democratization, failed or destabilized entire regions?
63% of attempts have failed and post 9/11 failures in Iraq and Afghanistan
How is US foreign policy been impacted by racism?
The US had a slave based capitalist empire, elimination of native Americans, and the US inherited European racism
How did US democracy backslide under President Trump?
Inequality, racial tensions, partisanship, disinformation, and voting rights restrictions are spread, as well as the 2020 election and January 6 attack on the US Capitol
How is Biden trying to put democracy at the heart of US foreign policy?
By organizing summits for democracy, global support to free media, anticorruption, aid activists, fair elections, has used China’s abuses in the Ukraine war to galvanize alliances with leading western democracies, and a nuanced approach to democracy promotion
How is Americas credibility limited on democracy promotion?
US backsliding, US hypocrisy, and China’s appeal
How has China is authoritarian offensive impacted democracy promotion?
It’s success proves that democracy is not the only model, it uses its economic power to silence human rights critiques abroad, it rewrites the definition of human rights in international organization, and cooperates with other autocracies.
What were the US objectives in the middle east in the early Cold War?
To contain the Soviet union, to contain radical Arab regimes that were backed by Moscow, to protect the free flow of Middle Eastern oil, and protect Israel
Why did the US decide to get more directly involved in the middle east in the late 1970s?
Renewed US fears of a Soviet breakthrough and growing US dependency on Middle Eastern oil
When was Iran’s Islamic revolution?
January 1979
When was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?
December of 1979
What did the Carter doctrine of January 1980 say?
Any attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force
When was CENTCOM created?
1982
What are some examples of a growing US involvement in the Middle East in the 80s?
Expansion of the US Israel alliance, close military rapprochement was Saudi Arabia and Egypt, US involvement in the Soviet Afghan war, and support to Afghanistan’s holy warriors, and the Gulf War after Iraq invasion of Kuwait
How did the US in advertently contribute to the rise of radical Islamism?
Military and economic support to highly repressive and corrupt dictators, support Israel’s post 1967 expansion, turning a blind eye to his allies promotion of radical Islamism, and US military deployment
What was Bush Junior’s approach to the global war on terror?
Bolster domestic security, seek unprecedented military preponderance, prevent cooperation between terrorists and rogue states, launch the global war on terror, and promote democracy across the Middle East
What was flawed about Bush’s approach to the global war on terror?
The endless duration, global scope, legitimizing the terrorist narrative about Islam versus Christianity, human rights scandals became inevitable, US wars fuel terrorism, US entanglement created opportunities for rivals and enemies