Trajectory of US Foreign Policy Essay Example for Free

Trajectory of US unlike Pol fixed EssayIntroduction The credo for strong the States and secured existence re-echoes the vision for retaining global alliances nonetheless draws future challenges to US immaterial form _or_ system of government in re-aligning socio- semi policy-making trustingness in the contemporary shift of political power. The rise of third plucks is critically perceived in the interplay of emerge political powers that whitethorn desolate convergence to US foreign policy. The perceptive basis of power duty period may in itself central to the change of US interstate highway ( municipal) leadership and the clamor of the American the great unwashed to reform the US foreign policies. In contrast, the US economic, financial and military establishments can possibly bootlick the vacillating force upon the change of political leadership. The reconfiguration in the trajectory of US foreign policy may absorb the vacuum of power within the confines of socio-e conomic-political someoneism. This individualism may be depictive to walk down a narrow road that is less traveled, as there goes an excerpt from the song auf wiedersehen Yellow Brick Road (Elton magic in Taupin, B., 1973) So goodbye yellow brick road where the dogs of society howl, you coin bank plant me in your penthouse, Im going backrest to my ploughFrom this pretext, what holds Americas foreign policy is to affirm the yellow brick road of economic and financial convergence ensuring the American people never to go back in the 1890s US experience of great economic depression, in which today the US organization controls its economic and political interests in a global landscape. This may be a classical advance path leading to the contemporary challenges of US foreign policy, but an annotation to the modern political genre and re-structured geopolitical archetype in US shift of power. This paper go away discuss the contemporary interstate (domestic) political interactio ns and the intrastate (foreign) shifting of political powers relating to the trajectory and future challenge in US foreign policy.methodological digest The review of literature will guide the overall discussions of growths and will be the basis of analyzing the situation. The method will adopt a 2-prong approach in examining the trajectory and challenges of US foreign policy to situate (2) interstate factors, and (2) intrastate responses.Rationale This section of the paper will present, review and discuss the January 2008 State of the soil visit (SONA) of chairperson George chaparral in order to situate the interstate factors effecting the character- consumption of US executive director, legislative, judiciary and military branches of organization, and the intrastate affairs or foreign policy agenda. prexy scrubbing 2008 SONA emphasizes the credo for strong America and secured world. The credo calls on the critical character-roles of US governmental agencies in advancing the socio-economic-political-cultural well-organism of the state from domestic to foreign abode. As quoted from the speech of electric chair bush, he implored expanding opportunity to protecting the country, as the US government film made good progress, and yet it has unfinished course in which the American people stockpile to get it done (The White House, 2008). The credit entry highlights the empowerment of US economy to which has been faced with uncertainties as indicated by job dearth, depleted market in housing, hurdled distribution of healthc ar benefits, and reduction of revenues from increased government spending. Basically, chairperson Bush refers both private and state-support financial incapability and the global economic recession. As progress emphasized, the economic agenda is to draw a more empowered financial establishment and labor market, in which Bush stressed out the making of result quality American product as what he calls to be proudly labeled as Made in the USA. Science and technological innovations were in any case critically addressed by investing on research ingenuity and the unlimited development of scientific inventions and discoveries which aimed to create and provide energy security. Current technologies of adversaries must comply with hu humanness and environmental protection. President Bush reiterated the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act as encompassing the state ready domestic need to education and urged US Congress for $300 Million scholarship budget. On top of the domestic friendly-economic agenda for labor market, education, healthcare and revenue generation through with(predicate) tax rebate package, President Bush cited the additional deployment of 3,200 Marines to Afghanistan, as he concluded that homeward bound soldiers out of the 20,000 military man deployed in the halfway East must be replaced to ensure maintenance of peace and security. The rationale of President Bush 2008 SONA was founded on re couping domestic uncertainties and pursuing the unfinished business in Middle East.Literature review the shaping of US foreign policy As presented and discussed in the rationale section of this paper, the literature review will rise the variety of actors and factors that relates the shaping of US foreign policy. The rationale section will also form lot of derivatives to the overall discussions.The tralatitious foreign policy elitesAs an overview prior to discussing the topic, we may cite a quotation from the Director of polity Planning Richard Haas of the US Department of State that may similarly define the traditional foreign policy elites Of the many influences on U.S. foreign policy formulation, the role of think tanks is among the or so definitive and least appreciated (US Department of State, 2002). According to the electronic journal, US Foreign Policy Elites in a Post-Cold War Information Age published by Mark P. Lagon in 1996, the special expertise inside(a) and outs ide(a) of government that absorbs academics, quasi-academics, journalists, and polemicists becomes political appointees and career bureaucrats are referred to as elites. The elites creates the inner circle or sphere inside and outside of government. Another delegacy correlated to the definition, the media has a crucial role in binding the elite grouping by providing medium of communication (or forum) for setting agenda (Lagon, 1996). The 21st speed of light elites may be also categorized or defined as a political technocrat because they have the capability to analyze or study a political-economic situation and influence the pre-condition effect or scenario of a situation. The elites may be also seting the power brokering between the governmental affairs and the social groups in a civil society.In domestic and foreign relations, nearly of business men and affluent academicians are the most likeable appointee or delegate to represent governmental rifles. One that may exemplify t he representation is by appointing a diplomatic functionary. The diplomatic function acidifys within a script of function effective to use up out the mission at diplomacy train. In other words, the diplomacy level could only be functional in mediation and arbitration, in which the role of a middle man patterns the diplomatic functions.We may also refer the at large elites as belonging from the top social hierarchy categorized by its family wealth and social academic status, in which may be enticed or pull by political-economic sentimentalism merely sympathetic to a cause, social conviction and plain beliefs that allies with topic advocacy and lobbyist groups or political activism. The capability of at large elites may have a vacillating tendency at crucial political standpoint, wherein to toss coin meant knowing both sides (pros and cons) of a national set off.In worthless and undeveloped countries, like the Philippines in Asia, it has become a common knowledge that the tradi tional elites mostly represented by disgruntled politicians, adventurous soldiers, government retirees, and idealistic academicians have its own political grouping even maintaining bureaucracy inside and outside the government. In this case, the capability to be well-integrated in both camps and political grouping (opposition and government) attributes the ability to situate, adapt and sound out political configuration, in which the prognosis equates to being a think tank.In the US, the traditional elites are those belonging from a confederate political backing that is also known as interest groups that carry out a national interest agenda may it be through electoral work outes, lobbying and issue advocacy. From that point of view, the capability to create impact could be commonly supported.Moreover, the special scholastic skill to avow political issues or able to expand prolific deductions or analogies could influence the policy making initiatives. The association between elit es and the general public in a democratic processes of policy-making is involving mobilization and ratification, wherein the elites configures the outline of a policy and mobilizes public convergence in which the framing of a policy is set at the dispensation of the legislative, executive and judiciary branches of government and even the military establishments for interstate (domestic) or intrastate (foreign) implementation.US political culture and gage public assentIn a joint lecture in year 2006 conducted by Bruce E. Gronbeck, A. Craig Baird from the University of Iowa and John D. Lees from Manchester University in England, they defined the contemporary political culture and plentitude public opinion under two categories popularity and populism. Accordingly, popularity is more central to the personalities and characters involving the issues (be it social, economic and political). On the other hand, populism is drawn as an action-oriented response invoking the right to chaste n grievances and holding of assemblies. Combining both popularity and populism as a public response or action toward an issue is considered a relevantly critical public interest undertaking.The significance of political culture and mass public opinion which compose popularity and populism conflates in the typologies of data and constructively appears in the public life. One example is the flow of instruction of economic uncertainty as communicated by media is the indication of depleted housing market, scarcity of healthcare benefits and shortage of labor markets, which was outlined in the political-economic agenda of President Bush 2008 SONA. In contrast, political and economic analysts look at that government indecision draws more hostile popularity of political leadership, in which populism resort to civic action or civil defiance. Like any other countries (poor and rich), the political culture and mass public opinion is centralise at the governmental leadership and performa nce. The civil society as composing various groupings is the bulwark of indispensable opinion and perception consistent to the so-called participatory or popular democracy. The political culture and mass public opinion therefore refers to the existence of democratic processes that describes the type, category and classification of framing a public policy.The interest groups and the military-industrial complexThe interest groups being mostly defined and perceived as grouping of individual types and stakeholders for socio-political interest or convictions are not representing the government neither functionaries of a government office. The interest group has varied classifications, such as endorser and financier of political candidates, advocates and lobbyist for legislative policy agenda, social work composing the non-governmental organizations and political activists. These classifications of interest groups are also described as pressure groups in a civil society.The US-based Coun cil on Foreign Relations (CFR) found that the pressure groups are vulnerable to collaborating with domestic extremists being classified as hate groups that allies with left-wing radical activists motivated by religious-racial-cultural conservatism. To cite, the incident on April 1995 truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that accounted 168 deaths and wounded about cholecalciferol people has attributed to domestic terrorism, and suspected by the FBI as multi-perpetuated and politically motivated actions linking the interest groups of radical political activists opposing the World Trade Organization (WTO in Fletcher, H., 2008).On the other hand, the military-industrial complex refers to the established validation of the US Armed Forces. However, a group of stakeholders that are also classified as interest groups acts as brokers, traders and suppliers of weaponry and armaments to the US Armed Forces. These stakeholders or interest groups also serve a s a pressure group in dealing with the passing or act outment of a policy concerning homeland defending team and most especially foreign security policy. The US war on Iraq and the continuing anti-terrorism campaign of the US government favors the stakeholders, in which the demand for supplying weaponry and armaments to the US Armed Forces categorically defines profitable business in war.The traditional and unused mediaBased on the journal, The Interaction of Traditional and New Media, authored by John D. Leckenby and Everett D. Collier from the Department of Advertising, College of Communication at the University of Texas, the medium of communication has evolved the typologies of media outfit. The type of traditional and youthful media is classified in terms of technology, in which the information delivery and access through the Internet has typified the traditional and fresh medium of communication and updating to social developments. However, the classification does not neces sarily feature the newest approach to bringing information and accessibility to consumers.As cited, the televisions broadcast and print media although classified as traditional in the cyber age motionlessness captures and captivates impact to public interest (Leckenby Collier, 2003). It maybe recalled that the coverage of television, broadcast and print media in Iraq has kept abreast(predicate) the development of war around the world. It may be also a fact that the electronic or cyber media outfit relies from the feedback information of correspondents in Iraq. Otherwise direct satellite connection to the Internet could be most promptly delivered. At hindsight, a significant number of consumers to information are inaccessible or curt and do not have computer facility to use the Internet.To compare and contrast, the new media is based on the above definition on the use of cyber-technology that differentiates traditional, but not yet totally recognized as a habitual utility in a so ciety. The societal significance of the new media outfit using the Internet may only be considered as an added feature to bringing about interactions of affluent group of people, financially supported political campaigns, and the attempt of the government to develop online transactions. In addition, the cyber-technology that pertains to E-commerce may be remotely attributed to new media with count on to journalism. What is then more significant aside from classification is the emerging venue or medium of both traditional and new media that bring about and reach out the development and trends of governance and public interest.Examining the White House and executive agenciesThe White House symbolizes the seat of power of the President of the united States. Political analysts even put chaff to the white house as the home of many kitchens and chefs, wherein what is cooking inside the white house great power be sourly, distasteful, and spoiled. The parallelism of this political satir e may be referring to the consistent, efficient and effective role-modeling of the Chief decision maker being the symbolical figure head of the White House. What is then bestowed upon the mandate of the President must be retained to the sovereign will of the people the vox populi. Therefore, the mandate shall immerse in the life of the administrator Cabinet.Department of StateThe US Department of State (USDS) emanated from the year 1789 establishment of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Its pristine mandate is to protect the global interests of the US government by managing about 250 US embassies and consulates throughout the world. The functionaries of USDS represent the US government to the United Nation (UN), NATO (North American Treaty Organization), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), and the European Union. USDS also manages the subject of travel advisory to its citizens at home and in abroad.In sum, the USDS may be referred to as a fortress of the US foreign relations, in which it accesses and reach out international boundaries. Through that, it serves as a pipeline and breadth of US foreign policies and diplomatic partnership. The USDS plays a vital role in US global governmental functions. Thus, the trajectory of US foreign policy can be substantively achieved at intrastate domains.Department of DefenseMandated to secure and protect the domestic abode, the US Department of Defense (USDOD) has expansive role in protecting the foreign interest of the US government. The claim for soldier-heroes has been brought in the US war to Iraq. President Bush addressed the USDOD as champions of restoring democracies from adverse governments around the world.In early 1960s towards mid-1970, former President Nixon mandated the USDOD in deploying troops to Vietnam as mandamus duty of the President to participate in domestic war. However, it has proven the saying not to fight an enemy in his own backyard, wherein an approxim ate 58,000 US soldiers died in related combat operations. Today, the war in Iraq has accounted 20,000 US troops deployment, aside from the most recent calling of President Bush in his 2008 SONA to deploy 3,200 Marines. The USDOD maintains its military-industrial complex in collaboration with various international governments upon the US foreign policy to secure the world in pursuit of war against domestic and international terrorism.Intelligence CommunityThe intelligence community (commonly called as IC) is described by Military experts as eyes and ears of the US government, wherein it gathers information, process information and package information as a derivative or aid for policy legislation. The labeling of spying has have from the post-cold war competition of mice-and-cat espionage activities of CIA to Russian KGB. The contemporary strategic approach is focusing on the open-source information gathering that uses the method of HUMINT (human intelligence).The IC reform has been outlined in the enactment of the Intelligence Reform and act of terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004. The creation of the Office of the Director for National Intelligence (ODNI) empowers the strategic and tactical approaches to process the global information. Upon enactment of IRTPA, the Executive and Congress has accessed the transparent undertaking of the CIA and put the work into a new twist of domestic and foreign intelligence and enforcement that synergize and harmonize working relationship with the FBI, Department of Homeland shelter (DHS) and the USDOD.Economic institutionsThe Department of Treasury holds the coffer of the State. Just like the yellow brick road partly discussed in the opening section that symbolizes the commercial district in New York, wherein the former seat of monetary transactions happens at ring Street, it ensure and protect the financial wellbeing of the State and the US government financing of domestic and foreign projects. The role of the Depa rtment of Treasury is not limited to revenue generations, printing of receipts, bank notes, federal reserves, debt collections and banking. The respective(a) character of the Department of Treasury is to determine the financial viability of US foreign investments, in which fiscal oversight form part in shaping a feasible and optimal policy that protects the US interest.The US Congress and the CourtsThe legislative and judiciary has commonalities in policy undertaking. The only difference is the characterization of policy in terms of ratification and interpretation of law with jurisprudential values effecting and affecting the enforcement. The passing of the IRTPA of 2004 is regarded as a plenary policy enactment in US history of law enforcement. First, the reform in IC through establishment of ODNI has carried out significant enforcement in arresting domestic terrorist. flash is the empowerment of the President to enact on Executive Orders as presidential decision to harmonize t he homeland defense system. And, third, the juridical justification of continuous deployment of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.The US Public Law endures the pursuit of foreign interest in a crone hunting expedition against the terrorist. The foreign ally governments receives the support to law enforcement, supply of weaponry and economic projects, somehow, the clog of vulnerability from so-called enemies are translated into committing of human errors in enforcement resulting human rights violations and domestic economic disturbance. It may be perceived that while US foreign policy instigates the war on terrorism, the host country or government suffers socio-economic-political derailment.Critical analysis on the character-role of shaping US foreign policy This critical analysis is pertaining to the Executive branch of government that holds the key actors and factors relating the character-role of shaping US foreign policy. The Executive Cabinet generally contains the governmental l eadership. It may be said that the office itself is being protected and preserved but the character (being the President) calibrate and spearhead the role-modeling. This means, the political will emanates from the personal character of a President. In the event of changing the guards as characterized by a governmental revamp, reorganization for new sets of political appointees and the change of leadership itself through election, the reconfiguration process may take time to re-establish the political will. Within the confines of the White House, the Defense, Treasury and ODNI are the trio vital guardians of presidential decision although Congress and the Courts of law collaborate. It may be noted from the 2008 SONA of President Bush that the key elemental features of emphasis in delivering immediate governmental actions focuses and addresses selective governmental agencies, such as (1) the Treasury to handle the tax rebates and other fiscal management of economy (2) the unfinished business in the Middle East as afflicted by political-economic reconstruction in Iraq, maintenance of security in Afghanistan and reconnaissance in Iran and Jordan for a potential stockpile of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), and mediation of conflict in North Korea and (3) above all is the call for continuous empowerment of domestic and foreign policies being adjust to contemporary global challenges.ConclusionThe trajectory of the US interstate and intrastate policy is may be perceived to be aligning the shift of political powers. One that describes the shifting is the domestic or national political leadership in 2008. From the point of view of election campaign in the US, political groupings and individualism may surface and is carried out upon racial equation. Although it is only a perception, the shifting of leadership or changing of the guards is prior been held to be re-aligned in the overall governmental function contingent to protecting and preserving the US foreign int erest.Second that describes the shifting is the emergence of third force political power at the global perspective. The third force may not be categorized likened to US but the proliferation of technologies in advanced weaponry and armaments may interchangeably interact in the global power sharing. The lull of silence in Iran and North Korea is yet unfolding much discoveries of the US. As what the US being envisioned for strong America and secured world is a perseverance of its hero-in-history model at the global perception, in which recouping gaps and assessing unforeseen factors may supplant political indecisiveness amidst contemporary challenges. It may be therefore concluded that the trajectory of US policy widens the roadmap with symbolical memorial as a cornerstone of gaining foreign alliances that shall keep America strong.ReferencesFletcher, H. (2008). Militant Extremist in the United States. Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 10 whitethorn 2008 from http//www.cfr.org/ publication/9236/10.Gronbeck, B.E., Baird, A.C. and Lees, J.D. (2006). The Twenty-First Century Reconstitution of American Political civilization. Retrieved 10 May 2008 fromhttp//www.uiowa.edu/commstud/faculty/gronbeck/21st_reconstitution.pdf.John, E. and Taupin, B. (1973). Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. MCA Music. 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