Deck 14: Foreign Policy

Question 1

The Kyoto Protocol was a(n)

A) statement issued by the United Nations on the importance of protecting endangered species.
B) peace treaty signed by the United States and Japan at the end of World War II.
C) treaty that created the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).
D) agreement setting limits on emissions of greenhouse gases from industrial countries.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The old adage "politics stops at the water's edge" means that

A) debates about irrigation policy should be settled by making reference to the Constitution, not by voting in Congress.
B) all Americans will suffer if we fail to work together to protect our nation's political, economic, and security interests in the wider world.
C) the United States should not have policy disagreements with other countries.
D) Democrats and Republicans should only disagree with each other on foreign policy issues and not on matters of domestic policy.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The Monroe doctrine refers to the

A) economic recovery package of aid from the United States to western Europe after World War II.
B) policy that the United States will launch a preemptive attack on any country harboring nonstate actors that threaten its national security.
C) idea that foreign powers should not meddle in the Western Hemisphere.
D) theory that the United States needed to have twice as many nuclear weapons as the Soviet Union in order to remain secure.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In 1998, the United States passed the ________ Act, which called on all governments to respect religious freedom.

A) Cross-National Church and Practice
B) World Tolerance
C) Respect for Religious Observance
D) International Religious Freedom

Question 5

The policy of deterrence and containment pursued by the United States during the Cold War can be viewed as

A) an early version of the Bush Doctrine.
B) no different than a policy of isolationism.
C) no different than a policy of appeasement.
D) midway between aggression and appeasement.

Question 6

Since World War II, ________ has brought together a wide range of nations for regular negotiations designed to reduce barriers to trade.

A) NATO
B) NAFTA
C) GATT
D) the WTO

Question 7

________ warned Americans against too much involvement with foreign nations.

A) George Washington
B) Thomas Jefferson
C) John Adams
D) James Madison

Question 8

The final collapse of the Soviet Union occurred in

A) 1985.
B) 1989.
C) 1991.
D) 1999.

Question 9

The three main goals of American foreign policy are

A) democracy, individualism, and isolationism.
B) liberty, fraternity, and equality.
C) freedom, order, and justice for all.
D) security, prosperity, and the creation of a better world.

Question 10

ISIS stands for

A) "I Stand with the Islamic State."
B) the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
C) the Islamic State in India and Sri Lanka
D) the Islamic State in Solidarity.

Question 11

A ________ nation is one with unstable leadership, whose policies are driven by ideology rather than by economic or human costs and benefits.

A) rational
B) rogue
C) sovereign
D) nonsovereign

Question 12

Which of the following statements about foreign policy is most accurate?

A) The Constitution gives the president no role to play whatsoever in determining American foreign policy.
B) The Constitution gives Congress no role to play whatsoever in determining American foreign policy.
C) The institutional powers of the presidency give presidents an advantage over political forces based in Congress when determining American foreign policy.
D) The institutional powers of Congress give members of Congress an advantage over presidents when determining American foreign policy.

Question 13

The United States withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol because it

A) did not include any provisions to limit carbon emissions.
B) did not require other countries to protect basic human rights.
C) would threaten American national security.
D) would be too harmful to American national economic interests.

Question 14

The North American Free Trade Agreement is a(n)

A) trade treaty between Mexico, Canada, and the United States designed to lower and eliminate tariffs.
B) executive agreement between the United States and the other nations of North and Central America, giving one another most favored-nation trade status.
C) treaty between the United States, Canada, and Mexico pledging a unified strategy regarding trade with Asia and Europe.
D) executive agreement reducing trade and immigration barriers throughout North America.

Question 15

The nineteenth-century policy of ________ was based on the geographic distance of the United States from other countries.

A) idealism
B) isolationism
C) internationalism
D) sovereign dominance

Question 16

The policy of striking a nation that might be contemplating hostile actions is called

A) diplomacy.
B) appeasement.
C) détente.
D) preventive war.

Question 17

Which president made prevention the centerpiece of his foreign policy?

A) George W. Bush
B) Richard Nixon
C) Bill Clinton
D) Barack Obama

Question 18

A policy of deterrence may fail against terrorist groups because

A) history has shown that only democratic nation-states respond well to deterrence.
B) deterrence has been made illegal under international law.
C) terrorist groups are nonstate actors who may believe that their lack of a fixed geographic location prevents their targets from retaliating militarily.
D) terrorist groups do not yet have access to nuclear weapons.

Question 19

What was the key to American security during the nineteenth century?

A) the largest naval fleet in the world
B) troops stationed on the borders
C) geographical isolation
D) the largest nuclear arsenal in the world

Question 20

The world's wealthiest nation is

A) China.
B) Sweden.
C) the United States.
D) Switzerland.

Question 21

Which of the following set off a new set of power struggles in Washington, D.C., over control of the intelligence community?

A) the creation of the Department of Homeland Security
B) the appointment of Donald Rumsfeld as the secretary of Defense
C) the appointment of a national intelligence "czar"
D) the placing of the FBI and the CIA into the same federal department

Question 22

When did the Cold War begin?

A) in the 1940s, soon after World War II
B) in the early 1950s, with the Korean War
C) in the late 1950s, with American involvement in Vietnam
D) in the early 1960s, with the Cuban Missile Crisis

Question 23

In the sphere of foreign policy, which of the following is a constitutional power possessed by Congress?

A) declaring war
B) regulating commerce with foreign nations
C) confirming foreign ambassadors
D) All of these are correct.

Question 24

Which war was officially declared by Congress?

A) the War of 1812
B) the Vietnam War
C) the Korean War
D) the Iraq War

Question 25

Which of the following is the most important actor in the foreign policy establishment?

A) Congress
B) the president
C) the Department of State
D) the Department of Defense

Question 26

For the first 150 years of American history, Congress's role in foreign policy was limited because

A) the Supreme Court had ruled that Congress had no authority to make foreign policy under the Constitution.
B) the United States' role in world affairs was very limited.
C) countless protest events communicated to Congress that the public wanted it to avoid taking an active role in foreign policy.
D) the House of Representatives and the Senate could not agree on a unified approach to foreign policy and blocked each other from acting.

Question 27

What is the main job of the director of national intelligence?

A) to head the National Intelligence Agency
B) to act as the primary adviser to the president on foreign policy matters
C) to serve as a mediator between the CIA, FBI, and National Security Council
D) to collate and coordinate intelligence coming in from multiple sources and to report this information to the president

Question 28

An agreement between the president and another country that has the force of a treaty but does not require the Senate's "advice and consent" is called a(n)

A) international protocol.
B) executive agreement.
C) congressional agreement.
D) executive order.

Question 29

The Department of Homeland Security was established in

A) 1790.
B) 1865.
C) 1942.
D) 2002.

Question 30

The most important task of the Senate in foreign policy is

A) establishing embassies in foreign nations.
B) ratifying the military budget.
C) reviewing and approving treaties.
D) declaring war.

Question 31

Amnesty International is a(n)

A) research group formed in 2000 to expose the dangers of global climate change.
B) 2011 agreement signed by the United States and 12 other countries that governs the treatment of refugees.
C) multinational corporation that lobbies for lower taxes and neoliberal economic reforms.
D) interest group that works to protect human rights.

Question 32

The United States withdrew from the 1997

A) Geneva Conventions.
B) NAFTA.
C) Kyoto Protocol.
D) United Nations.

Question 33

Why has Congress become a major foreign policy maker since World War II?

A) The Constitution gives most of the foreign policy authority to Congress.
B) Congress is regularly called upon to approve financing of foreign policies.
C) Since the beginning of the Cold War, the president has delegated large amounts of foreign policy authority to Congress.
D) Congress is the only branch that can declare war.

Question 34

The Department of Defense was created in

A) 1790.
B) 1865.
C) 1947.
D) 2002.

Question 35

Congress has exercised its power to declare war ________ times in American history.

A) 2
B) 5
C) 8
D) 12

Question 36

Which of the following goals has traditionally been of lowest priority in U.S. foreign policy?

A) economic interests
B) human rights
C) national security
D) international trade

Question 37

In a crisis, which of the following has the greatest foreign policy influence?

A) the president
B) Congress
C) the Senate
D) the public

Question 38

The fact that the United States remains silent in the face of human rights violations by a number of countries illustrates that

A) the United States has been pursuing a policy of isolationism since the end of World War II.
B) protecting human rights is less important to American foreign policy than security concerns and economic interests.
C) the president has only limited power in determining American foreign policy.
D) Congress has only limited power in determining American foreign policy.

Question 39

What is the chief task of the National Security Council?

A) to monitor foreign intelligence
B) to formulate and recommend military and diplomatic policy proposals to the United Nations
C) to coordinate the differences among the executive's key foreign policy makers
D) to protect the borders of the United States

Question 40

In foreign policy, the Bush Doctrine refers to

A) managing the war on terrorism through multination diplomacy.
B) the tactic of relying on the United Nations to help achieve U.S. objectives.
C) increasing the size and scope of NATO forces.
D) preemptive war.

Question 41

The representation of a government to other foreign governments is called

A) multilateralism.
B) an alliance.
C) a treaty.
D) diplomacy.

Question 42

Which of the following nations does NOT have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council?

A) the United States
B) Russia
C) Germany
D) the United Kingdom

Question 43

The United States spends

A) less on its military each year than all of Europe.
B) nearly the same amount on its military each year as all of Europe.
C) less on its military each year than China.
D) about one-third of the world's total military expenditures.

Question 44

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in

A) 1898.
B) 1917.
C) 1949.
D) 1963.

Question 45

The International Monetary Fund

A) provides loans and facilitates a short flow of money to countries in need.
B) sets a single monetary instrument that governs international monetary exchange.
C) is limited in its ability to loan money to developing countries.
D) was set up to provide for long-term money flow to developing countries.

Question 46

In any given year, the United States provides approximately ________ in economic assistance to other countries.

A) $100 million
B) $800 million
C) $14 billion
D) $30 billion

Question 47

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an example of

A) mutually assured destruction.
B) a bilateral treaty.
C) a multilateral treaty.
D) the domino theory.

Question 48

Dispute arbitration occurs when a(n)

A) dispute turns into a military conflict but is not officially declared a war by the legislative branch.
B) international disagreement is referred to a neutral third party for resolution.
C) treaty is made between two or more nations.
D) agreement is made between the presidents of two countries but the terms are not legally binding.

Question 49

All important issues must receive ________ in order to pass through the UN General Assembly.

A) the support of at least one permanent member of the UN Security Council
B) a simple majority vote
C) a two-thirds-majority vote
D) a three-fourths-majority vote

Question 50

The United States is NOT a member of the

A) Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.
B) Warsaw Pact.
C) Organization of American States.
D) North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Question 51

During the 1990s, the importance of the International Monetary Fund increased due to

A) the United States choosing to join in 1989.
B) its success in producing massive economic growth in China.
C) the United States' victory in the Persian Gulf War.
D) its efforts to reform Communist countries and bring them more fully into the global capitalist economy.

Question 52

The UN Security Council has ________ permanent members and ________ elected members.

A) 5; 5
B) 10; 10
C) 5; 10
D) 10; 25

Question 53

Which of the following is an accurate description of the United Nations?

A) It is a very small and unwieldy institution.
B) Its armed forces are large and powerful.
C) It lacks enforcement power to implement its rules and resolutions.
D) The United States never contributes to the United Nations' peacekeeping efforts.

Question 54

Foreign aid is an economic ________; sanctions are an economic ________.

A) liability; asset
B) asset; liability
C) carrot; stick
D) policy; regulation

Question 55

The UN General Assembly

A) never casts formal votes.
B) allocates one vote to each member country, regardless of population size.
C) allocates votes according to population, with more populous countries receiving more votes.
D) provides votes only to countries that have a democratic form of government.

Question 56

The two largest recipients of military assistance from the United States are

A) Israel and France.
B) Israel and Egypt.
C) Israel and Japan.
D) Israel and South Korea.

Question 57

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council have more influence over the Security Council's decisions than other countries because

A) they are each given 10 additional votes on every substantive proposal.
B) they are each given a "veto" that is sufficient to reject any substantive proposal.
C) other countries have traditionally deferred to the permanent members' knowledge and expertise.
D) they are the only countries allowed to vote on issues before the Security Council.

Question 58

The headquarters of the United Nations is located in

A) London.
B) Paris.
C) New York.
D) a different member country's capital city every 10 years.

Question 59

Currently, the United Nations has ________ member states.

A) 40
B) 193
C) 350
D) 435

Question 60

The World Bank's chief mission is to

A) provide development aid to poor countries.
B) set the exchange rate for transferring money from one country to another.
C) handle the finances of the United Nations.
D) store the official gold reserves that back up the world's financial system.

Question 61

Among the most visible and important elements of U.S. international economic policy is trade policy. What is the main goal of American trade policy, and what are some of the main organizations and agreements that help America achieve this goal?

Question 62

Americans have historically asserted that our foreign policies should

A) focus on the interests of the United States at the expense of all other nations.
B) focus on the interests of other nations at the expense of our own personal interests.
C) have a higher purpose than the pursuit of our own interests and use force only as a last resort.
D) focus on working with the United Nations to promote democracy around the world.

Question 63

Discuss how security policy has evolved over the course of American history. What were the key policy approaches during the nineteenth century, during the Cold War, and in the post-Cold War era (including the Bush and Obama administrations)? Explain.

Question 64

Describe some of the tools that the United States has used to conduct foreign policy. What is the role of diplomacy? What has been the influence of the United Nations (UN) since it was created? What did the United States do to create a new international economic structure after World War II?

Question 65

What has been a result of the traditional American distrust of diplomacy?

A) The budget and personnel at the State Department has been drastically cut since the end of the Cold War.
B) Presidents often use military or political leaders outside the State Department during a crisis.
C) The United States has closed down embassies in many nations since the mid-1990s.
D) Foreign ambassadors demand much more from the U.S. president than in the past.

Question 66

Who and what are some of the most important governmental actors in American foreign policy? How does the Constitution distribute the responsibility for formulating foreign policy? In your answer, be sure to identify specific actors in the various branches of the U.S. government and to discuss the specific roles these actors play in determining foreign policy.

Question 67

Allies of the United States paid for ________ percent of the cost of the Persian Gulf War.

A) 10
B) 25
C) 60
D) 90

Question 68

Although the president, the executive branch "bureaucracy," and Congress are the true makers of foreign policy, interest groups and public opinion play an important role in shaping what the United States does abroad. Which interest groups exert the largest influence over American foreign policy and what role does public opinion play in foreign policy debates? In your answer, be sure to discuss at least four different kinds of interest groups.