Practice Flashcards
Deterrence
Demanding that an adversary refrain from taking a certain negative action.
ex. Cuban Missile Crisis
Compellance
Demanding that an adversary undertake a certain action. Ex. Comprehensive Plan of Action in the Iran Nuclear Deal
The NSA has decided it wants to intercept your phone conversations. What, by US law, must it do before it can proceed?
NSA must request a surveillance warrant through the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC/A) and must meet certain requirements, including that the target is believed to be a foreign power or agent, officer, or employee of a foreign power. The warrant must be approved.
What are the levels of analysis?
Individual level
Domestic/State Level
International
Individual Level of Analysis
concerned with the perceptions, choices, and actions of individual human beings.
Domestic/State Level of Analysis
concerned with the aggregations of individuals within states that influence state actions in the international arena.
CIA’s duties
collects, analyzes, and disseminates intelligence on foreign countries and their citizens, and is not authorized to conduct intelligence activities on US persons. Unlike the FBI, the CIA does not have law enforcement duties. CIA is the only organization with the authority to carry out and oversee covert action at the behest of the President.
FBI’s duties
domestic jurisdiction; gathers domestic intelligence and monitors domestic activity, federal law enforcement authority; investigates internal threats. Organized under the Dept. of Justice.
How many of the 18 constituent members of the ODNI can you name?
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Central Intelligence Agency
Air Force Intelligence
Army Intelligence
Navy Intelligence
Marine Intelligence
Space Force Intelligence
Defense Intelligence Agency
National Reconnaissance Office
National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
National Security Agency
Department of Energy Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence
Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis
US Coast Guard Intelligence
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Drug Enforcement Agency’s Office of National Security Intelligence
Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research
Department of Treasury’;s Office of Intelligence and Analysis
Who were the Nobel Peace Prize winners of 2019 and for what were they honored?
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali ”for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea”
What is the EU?
The EU is an international organization comprised of 27 European countries which governs economic, social, and security policies.
The European Commission
The administrative and executive branch of the EU which drafts laws, sets the budget, and manages trade interests.
The Council of Ministers or Council of the EU
They sign international treaties for the EU and discuss and vote on law proposals.
European Parliament
The only directly elected body in the EU and represents the voice of the people. They share the legislative power with the Council of Ministers.
European Council
Composed of heads of member states. They make key decisions on the EU’s big-picture direction and are headed by an appointed president. They can set the agenda for the European Commission and override the Council of Ministers or sideline Parliament.
European Court of Justice
Interprets treaties and issues judgements on EU law. Each member state has a judge, it is headed by a president, and it is supplemented by a General Court.
European Central Bank
Heads operations for those in the EuroZone (19 states). They set interest rates, print and distribute money, and generally maintain the financial wellbeing of the Euro.
Which States are part of NATO but not the EU
Albania, Canada, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Turkey, (the United Kingdom) and the United States
EU members that are not part of the EuroZone
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Sweden
League of Nations
An organization established after WWI and the predecessor of today’s UN; it achieved certain humanitarian successes and was meant to resolve international disputes, but was weakened by the absence of U.S. membership and by its own lack of effectiveness in ensuring collective security.
Why did the US not join the League?
The U.S. did not join the League because many in the government were fearful that it would be too costly to be engaged in European disputes and chose an isolationist stance. The U.S. Senate would not approve U.S. participation in the League.
Why did the League fail?
The League failed not only because of the lack of U.S. power backing it, but because its members were not willing to bear the costs of collective action to oppose aggression in the 1930s.
Munich
Munich Agreement 1938, an agreement between UK, Germany, Italy, and France that permitted annexation of Sudetenland in western Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germay. It was trying to pacify Germany before WWII Lesson: don’t negotiate with terrorists; led to the end of the policy of appeasement, may also embold enemies to engage in war
Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1962, the Soviet Union installed medium-range nuclear missiles in Cuba. This was the moment when the US and Russia came closest to nuclear war during the Cold War. It was a direct result of the Bay of Pigs. Lesson: the difficulty of of securing accurate intelligence, presidential leadership and mistakes, and the danger that mutual fear can lead to mutually assured destruction, reality of nuclear war.
Vietnam
Vietnam War 1955-1975, a conflict between North and South Vietnam where China turned North Vietnam communist. The US supported and gave support and arms to democratic South Vietnam. A proxy war fought during the Cold War and occurred in a time where the USA was trying to stop the spread of communism. Lesson: America must never again commit its power and authority in defense of a country of only marginal strategic interest when that country lacks a broadly based government, or the will to create one, evaluate clear goals and strategy, evaluate the necessity of going into a war
Black Hawk Down
Battle of Mogadishu 1993-Elite American troops launched a raid in Mogadishu, Somalia in order to capture allies of a Somalian warlord. During one mission a black hawk helicopter was hit by a rocket powered grenade and crashed, shortly after, the second Black Hawk was shot down. The crew of the black hawk was killed, except one man who was taken prisoner by the warlord. The fight that ensued resulted in deaths in both sides. The bodies of some of the dead Americans were dragged through the streets. Was a disastrous mission. Lesson: US perception from media, perceived total perception of failure of mission, led to US hesitance in Srebrenica and Rwanda
Dien Bien Phu
Dien Bien Phu Battle 1954- A French stronghold in Indochina that was besieged by Vietnamese communists for 57 days. Ho Chi Minh’s forces defeated the French and ended their colonial influence and cleared the way for the division of Vietnam. Lesson: don’t underestimate your enemy
Srebrenica
Srebrenica Incident 1995- The genocide of thousands of Muslim Bosnian men and boys during the Bosnian War by Christian Bosnian Serbs. The Serbs wanted to remain part of Yugoslavia, but Bosniaks wanted independence. Over 20,000 civilians were forced to leave Srebrenica, which was ethnic cleansing and genocide. Lesson: the failure of the international community and UN to prevent or stop the most gruesome atrocities committed against civilians.
Versailles
Treaty of Versailles 1919-After WWI, the Treaty held Germany responsible for starting the war and imposed harsh penalties, loss of territory, massive reparations and demilitarization. German resentment of these penalties and their effects contributed to Hitler’s rise to power. Lesson: leaving a country in need or enacting strict punishment can lead to future conflict.
Rwanda
The Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994- A Hutu government and civilians systematically murdered over half a million Tutsis as well as Hutu sympathizers and Twa in 100 days. Lesson: Failure of the international community or EU to take action or listen to voices on the ground.
LDCs
least developed countries
NSC
national security council
NPT
treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons
QDR
quadrennial defense review
BMD
ballistic missile defense
COIN
counterinsurgency
IAEA
international atomic energy agency
WMD
weapons of mass destruction
R2P
responsibility to protect
OPEC
organization of the petroleum exporting countries
BRIC
Brazil, Russia, India, China
NAFTA
North American free trade agreement
G7
Group of 7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, and the US
OAS
organization of American States
BRI
belt and road initiative
OBOR
one belt one road
Executive Powers
Vetos laws, receive ambassadors
Legislative Powers
Makes laws, declares war
Judiciary Powers
Interprets and applies laws, determines constitutionality of laws
5 US Secretaries of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton (2009-2013) - Barack Obama John Kerry (2013-2017) - Barack Obama Rex Wayne Tillerson (2017-2018) - Trump Michael R. Pompeo (2018-2021) - Trump Antony Blinken (2021-) - Biden
Starting with Harry Truman, list the presidents in order with their years in office.
Harry Truman 45-53 Dwight D. Eisenhower 53-61 John F. Kennedy 61-63 Lyndon B. Johnson 63-69 Richard Nixon 69-74 Gerald Ford 74-77 Jimmy Carter 77-81 Ronald Reagan 81-89 George H. W. Bush 89-93 Bill Clinton 93-01 George W. Bush 01-09 Barack Obama 09-17 Donald Trump 17-21 Joe Biden 21-Incumbent
2010s
Arab Awakening (Arab Spring) - 2010
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)/One Belt One Road (OBOR)- 2013
Brexit referendum- 2016 2020 (began process in 2016, was not official until 2020)
2000s
9-11- 2001
World Financial Crisis, or Great Recession- 2007-2008
1990s
Desert Storm- January 17, 1991 End of the Cold War- 1991 Oslo Accords- September, 1993 EU-Maastricht Treaty- 1993 Rwandan genocide- 1994 Change from a White Regime to the Election of Nelson Mandela in South Africa- 1994
1980s
Iran-Contra Affair- 1985
Tiananmen Square Massacre 1989
US invasion of Panama- 1989
1970s
Nixon’s first visit to China- 1972 First oil embargo- 1973 End of the Vietnam War- 1975 Camp David Accord- 1978 Islamic republic established in Iran after overthrow of Shah- 1979
1960s
Cuban Missile Crisis- 1962
Green Revolution -1964
Six Day War- 1967
1950s
Korean War- 1950-1953
Largest Wave of Decolonization - 1957
1940s
World War II -1939-1945
Beginning of the Cold War- 1947
Marshall Plan- 1948
PRC (People’s Republic of China) established- 1949
1930s
The beginning of the Great Depression- 1930s
About how many people live on less than $2 per day in the world?
10% of the world population ~ 779 million people (2020)