U.s. Relations : Foreign Relations

Prior to World War I, the United States generally chose to follow Washington’s farewell address and stay out of “foreign entanglements”. The United States foreign policy from 1918 to 1953 shifted from isolationism or independent internationalism to a more involved internationalism and containment of communism due to various international events, economic conditions, and US public opinion.

Growing up in Ghana, I had heard a lot of things about the U.S. This was a country I had always wanted to visit; my prayer was answered when I got the opportunity to travel there. Arriving in a new environment came with many experiences. Adjusting with food, language and the weather was not easy. With the passage of time, however I have been able to0 adjust and fit it. This write-up therefore is to elaborate on my experiences since coming to U.S.

The U.S. foreign policy has always been linked to the domestic policy since the U.S. never feared of expanding its national interests over the national boarders. Isolation for the U.S. usually implied slow economic growth and the large number of destructive conflicts within, while impudent foreign policy always guaranteed an abrupt economic growth for the U.S. economy. After the U.S. intervened in the WWI and the WWII, the U.S. economy witnessed a tremendous economic growth, nearly elimination of the unemployment, rapid urbanization and overall growth of the standards of living across the country. Decisive foreign policy has always been providing the U.S. economy with the sustainable and rapid economic growth, unlike the policy aimed at isolation of the U.S.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln spoke the timeless words ??government of the people, by the people, for the people?. He might not have known they were the undercurrent of a war that was fought eighty-two years prior in 1781; a war fought one hundred and forty-eight years in the future in 2011. I truly believe that the government floats by the ebbs and flows of its citizens will and opinion. Their will can drive us to war or their will melts away not remembering why we went to war in the first place. The peoples will is the rudder steering the Diplomatic, Information, Military and Economic ?DIME? spectrum maneuvering its way across the governmental swamp. The peoples will to vote and protest shape our diplomatic outcomes. The peoples

America has its fair share of issues on the political agenda. Debates about taxes, gay marriage, health care, and gun control are all major issues that come up in Congress during almost every session. There is one issue, however, that has been debated since the early colonial period, before the United States of America was even a country. The issue of immigration is not only one of the most heavily debated topics in Congress; it is one of the most complex. It is an issue that affects both the nation’s foreign policy and domestic policy. America is, at its core, a nation of immigrants. This melting pot of people from around the world is what has caused this nation to be so successful. Unfortunately, the current immigration system that America has is in need of a complete overhaul. A comprehensive immigration reform package would be beneficial all across the board. The benefits to the economy would be immense, especially in times like these with America’s struggling economy.

The U.S. foreign policy was first established around the early 1900’s.This foreign policy was created in order to maintain a balance of power among nations and it is also the government’s strategy in interacting with foreign nations. America’s policy has been changing over time reflecting the change in its national interest. For Example, as a new nation after the Revolutionary War the U.S. wanted to maintain its independence from more powerful European Countries. During the time periods of 1898 to 1908 the U.S. was dealing with various problems with other countries such as wanting to take control of Hawaii. By the year 1899 the U.S. was involved in its first war in Asia. Three more follow in the course of the next century they were Japan,

Between 1918 and 1953 there was a major change regarding the foreign policy of the United States. At the end of the First World War, we practiced a foreign policy that was first established by George Washington in his Farewell Address back in 1796, which set a precedent of isolationism that was adopted until the beginning of World War II. Following Washington 's Neutrality Proclamation, the US did not engage in many global affairs such as the French Revolution and remained neutral through all foreign affairs. At the end of World War I, we continued to practice isolationism by not engaging in foreign affairs and limiting military spending believing that by pursuing this policy we could maintain peace and avoid war. Unfortunately, this

Over time the United States has had many different presidents, each serving one or two terms in office and that same tradition still continues today. Once elected the president spends the majority of his time in the White House with his family while serving the people of his country, and when his presidency is over, he goes back to living his normal life. While in office presidents deal with more than their share of problems and conflicts of interest whether they are domestic or international. To alleviate these situations, the president with the help of his administration comes up with solutions for these problems whether they are deals, treaties, or presidential doctrines. Presidents create presidential doctrines because of the conflicts of interest that arise, relationships that exist among each other, and provide the solution to the conflict.

As Kelly Anderson’s Foreign Policy Analyst, the following memo will address three areas of the United States’ foreign policy. The U.S. has gone through may transition when it comes to its foreign policy. The United States has been an isolationist, neutralist, and internationalist country from the year it was founded to now. The executive branch and the president apply their power to influence and change the nation’s foreign policy. There are specific departments within the Executive Office of the President (EOP) created to assist the president in his or her process. Political context and historical events have occurred to prove why intervening with another country’s issues does not benefit the national interest and why isolationism is a better system for this country. Hopefully, the memo will accomplish informing what the foreign policy is, was, and should be.

Life in the United States is mostly very different from life in Ghana, if not completely different. For example, I spent my entire high school career in boarding school. Not because my parents were affluent, but because it is a rite of passage and I would have been missing out on some great life experiences if I had not. Also, I never spent more than twenty minutes on a laptop before college, not because my parents could not afford a laptop, but because Ghanaian education requires that all research be done using actual books as resources and not the internet, and the education system believed you learned better doing calculations

The president of the United States has many responsabilities like being the commander and chief of the armed forces and the Chief Diplomat. Over the years the presdients job has gotten harder every year starting with the expansion with the U.S and now having foreign relations. The president however doesn’t do all the work. The Judicial Branch created federal courts and impeaches and removes judges and the legislative branch proposes laws and calls special sessions to congess. The main 3 things that the president does that are the most important, he controlls foreign relations, he makes more executive departments, and he controls what happens around the country.

From Independence through WWI, the US tried to refuse to become generally and permanently involved in the affairs of the rest of the world. It started in the early years of this nation when George Washington declared that “our true policy” was “to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.”. After, in 1801, Thomas Jefferson warned the nation against “entangling alliances”. So it was basically in the genetics in this country to isolate itself. Yet this policy did not demand a complete separation from the rest of the world. The US developed ties abroad by exchanging Ambassadors, signing treaties with many nations, et cetera.

United States (US) interference of foreign policy is a complex and much debated issue in the United States. The major topics to be evaluated include the benefits and costs in the areas of national security, humanitarian causes, trade, alliance, and economic impacts. Additional concerns involve the loss of human life and the animosity generated toward the US when the country decides to provide aid to another. US interference can have positive and negative effects if acted upon by interceding in foreign affairs. The United States should not be allowed to intercede in foreign affairs unless the US is trying to promote and preserve peace.

The USA exercises its foreign policy through financial aid. For example, scarcity relief in North Korea provides not only humanitarian aid but also a base for the development of democratic ideals and bodies.

Kegley and Raymond stated: “The shape of the world’s future will be determined not only by changes in the objective conditions of world politics, but also by the meanings people ascribe to these conditions.” Terrorism is presently a major factor in international relations and has impacted the world to change in many significant ways. Terrorism is a political ideology that has been problematic in defining definitely because of its various interpretations around the world, as well as the fact that it is constantly evolving. Since the terrorist events of 9/11, the lives of many have been changed forever. A small group of individuals, which are a mere fraction of the population of the world, have managed to impact and shape the way international and domestic relations are looked at and handled. People question how secure and safe they feel due to uncertainty of public safety because of events such as 9/11. The war on terrorism in the 21st century has certainly and inevitably changed the landscape for global politics. However, the relationship between terrorism and global politics is troublesome and in ways problematic to describe accurately. Both terrorism and global politics individually are complicated phenomenon. It is erroneous to propose that one is responsible for the other or vice versa, but they are inextricably and inevitably linked. In the study of international relations, there are multiple theories and theoretical perspectives. In this essay, realism and liberalism