Deck 18: Foreign Policy and National Defense

Question 1

Who serves on the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

A) the Cabinet secretaries
B) the leaders of the armed forces
C) the president's foreign policy advisors
D) the White House military intelligence corps
E) the secretary of defense, the secretary of Homeland Security, and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Who instituted the Millennium Challenge Account and who was designated to benefit from it?

A) President George W. Bush, to benefit countries that limited greenhouse gases
B) President Obama, to benefit poor countries that improved their stance on civil and human rights
C) The Clinton administration, to benefit countries that limited greenhouse gases
D) Bill and Melinda Gates, to benefit poor countries in need of improved health care
E) President George W. Bush, to benefit poor countries that improved in areas like taking anticorruption measures and protecting women's and civil rights

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Although preventing nuclear proliferation has been a high-priority task since the Cold War, in the early twenty-first century, President George W. Bush signed a nuclear cooperation treating with __________ that seemed to give that country the go-ahead to speed up its weapons program.

A) China
B) India
C) Russia
D) Japan
E) Germany

Answer 3

B

Question 4

If present growth trends in China continue, the Chinese economy measured by GDP will likely surpass that of the United States in the next couple of decades, although GDP per person will lag behind because __________.

A) the country exports more goods than it imports
B) the large population in China means the standard of living for the average Chinese person will improve more slowly
C) the country has had to borrow so much money to stimulate its economy
D) China has not had financial reserves needed to extend loans to other countries
E) China has been reluctant to institute market-oriented reforms and open itself to investment from abroad

Question 5

What is the role of the national security advisor?

A) to consult with academics and others with foreign policy expertise
B) to provide the president with information that reinforces the president's foreign policy positions
C) to act as a liaison between the Department of Defense and the military
D) to lead the Department of Homeland Security
E) to give the president independent advice about foreign and military policy

Question 6

Why do citizens play a smaller role in the formation of foreign policy than they do in the formation of domestic policy?

A) Foreign policy is more complex and unpredictable than domestic policy, and during a crisis, the need for speed and secrecy may exclude the public from decision making.
B) Foreign policy is handled only by the Department of State, which keeps most of its operations confidential.
C) Domestic policy concerns American citizens, but foreign policy has little effect on them, so there is no need for their input.
D) The Constitution gives most foreign policy responsibilities and powers to Congress, so ordinary citizens as well as the president and executive branch are excluded from most decisions.
E) In crisis situations, the president's actions often come under criticism from the public, causing great dissent, so it is prudent for the president to share as little as possible with the public during a crisis.

Question 7

Who has the ultimate authority and control over U.S. foreign and military policy?

A) Congress
B) the president
C) the State Department
D) the National Security Council
E) the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Question 8

One of the primary purposes of the war in Afghanistan was to __________.

A) prevent the spread of communism
B) remove the Taliban-led government
C) protect religious freedom
D) retaliate for the bombing of the USS Cole
E) protect Iraq from Afghani military attacks

Question 9

Which agency was subjected to intense scrutiny by Congress, the press, and the public because it failed to alert the nation to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and misread the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

A) the National Reconnaissance Office
B) the Central Intelligence Agency
C) the Department of Defense
D) the U.S. Information Agency
E) the National Security Agency

Question 10

Why do some U.S. defense leaders consider Pakistan a more significant nuclear proliferation threat than Iran or North Korea?

A) The country has nuclear weapons, and the Taliban-led government has repeatedly threatened to destroy the United States.
B) The state security service in Pakistan has ties to terrorists, and the state has helped develop nuclear weapons programs in North Korea and Iran.
C) Although the country has no nuclear weapons of its own, Pakistan has helped North Korea and Iran develop their nuclear weapons programs and therefore has influence in those countries.
D) The government of Pakistan is under the control of the jihadists, and they have helped North Korea and Iran by giving them nuclear weapons.
E) The government and state security service have ties to terrorists who plan to take over North Korea and Iran, and then come after the United States.

Question 11

The use of tactics and weapons such as roadside bombs, rocket-propelled grenades, sniper rifles, and AK-47 assault rifles in Iraq and Afghanistan is an example of __________ warfare.

A) conventional
B) symmetrical
C) lopsided
D) modern
E) asymmetric

Question 12

Procuring vital raw materials, protecting citizens traveling overseas, keeping trade markets open, and protecting firms operating in other countries are all functions that leaders perform to advance which of the following?

A) democracy
B) free enterprise
C) the national interest
D) American values
E) the global economy

Question 13

Influence in world affairs that derives from the attractiveness to others of a nation's culture, products, and way of life is referred to as __________ power.

A) cultural
B) rising
C) relative
D) diplomatic
E) soft

Question 14

Who heads the U.S. intelligence community?

A) the director of the Central Intelligence Agency
B) the director of National Intelligence
C) the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
D) the vice president
E) the National Security Agency

Question 15

Which of the following best describes a hegemon?

A) a power that approaches foreign policy by "hedging its bets" and working with countries that do not get along with each other in order to protect its own interests
B) a dominant power that maintains and protects the stability of its own system, leaving other countries to fend for themselves in terms of military actions and economic protection
C) a lesser power that seeks to destroy the stability of a regional or global system in order to obtain more power for itself
D) a power that stockpiles weapons of mass destruction in order to fend off rival powers and maintain the stability of its own regional system
E) a dominant power that maintains and protects the stability of a regional or global system by providing services such as military assistance and economic protection

Question 16

Which of the following agencies is mostly focused on foreign aid?

A) the Central Intelligence Agency
B) the National Security Agency
C) the Defense Intelligence Agency
D) the Agency for International Development
E) the Agency for Foreign Aid and Assistance

Question 17

What is the primary responsibility of the Department of Defense?

A) to provide for homeland security
B) to implement military policy
C) to develop foreign policy
D) to coordinate domestic security efforts
E) to advise the president about national security threats

Question 18

Which Cabinet-level department has primary responsibility for U.S. foreign policy?

A) Department of Defense
B) Department of Justice
C) Department of the Interior
D) Department of Homeland Security
E) Department of State

Question 19

Under George W. Bush's Millennium Challenge Account initiative, how should U.S. foreign aid be doled out?

A) to all countries across-the-board
B) to all developed countries
C) to those countries that have improved in areas essential for democracy
D) to those countries that are geographically closest to the United States
E) to those countries that use English as a primary or secondary language

Question 20

Which of the following was true about the U.S. defense budget before big cuts were announced in early 2012?

A) Although smaller than the budgets of Russia and China, it exceeded the budgets of all other NATO countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and India combined.
B) It exceeded the budgets of all other countries except China, which had greatly increased its budget in order to modernize its military forces.
C) It exceeded the budgets of all other NATO countries, Russia, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and India combined.
D) Although it exceeded the budgets of all other NATO countries, Japan, and Saudi Arabia combined, the budgets of Russia, China, and India were greater.
E) It exceeded the budgets of all other NATO countries, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and India combined, but was still less than the budget in Russia, where military power has continually increased since the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Question 21

What can Congress do to influence foreign policy if it is not satisfied with the way the president has handled foreign policy?

A) Congress can fire ambassadors who are not executing foreign policy according to Congress's wishes.
B) Congress can reduce appropriations for executing the president's foreign policy.
C) Congress can command the military to execute foreign policy according to Congress's wishes.
D) Congress can change foreign policy with a joint declaration of two-thirds of each chamber, which does not require the president's signature.
E) Congress can appoint a new secretary of state who will implement foreign policy according to Congress's wishes.

Question 22

Which of the following best describes the Veterans Administration system?

A) The VA system has been criticized for its low-quality health care, but that is the price it has had to pay to operate an inexpensive and efficient system.
B) The VA has had a sterling reputation throughout its history and is unsurpassed in providing quality health care at an affordable price.
C) The VA lags far behind other public and private community health care providers in the delivery of preventive care and home-based primary care.
D) Although criticized for offering low-quality health care and being too expensive and inefficient, the VA is actually a leader in the use of electronic records, home-based primary care, and preventive care.
E) Although criticized for being slow to adapt to modern medical practices such as the use of electronic records, home-based primary care, and preventive care, the VA consistently offers high-quality health care at an affordable price.

Question 23

During a rapidly developing national security crisis, which of the following people would the U.S. president most likely turn to for advice?

A) the secretary of state, since the Department of State carries out diplomatic affairs
B) the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and possibly the secretary of defense
C) the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
D) the secretary of defense, since the Department of Defense would need to be involved if military action became necessary, and possibly the national security advisor
E) the secretary of defense, national security advisor, and possibly the secretary of state

Question 24

What is the primary responsibility of the secretary of defense?

A) foreign policy
B) intelligence
C) diplomacy
D) homeland security
E) military policy

Question 25

Which of the following countries is currently the biggest threat to the United States' superpower status?

A) India
B) Russia
C) Germany
D) China
E) Brazil

Question 26

Which of the following best describes the world's superpowers since the end of World War II?

A) The United States has been the sole superpower since the end of World War II.
B) The United States and the Soviet Union were rival superpowers until the end of the Cold War, when the United States became the sole superpower.
C) The United States and the Soviet Union were rival superpowers until the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the United States and Russia became rival superpowers.
D) The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Soviet Union have been rival superpowers since the end of World War II.
E) The United States and the Soviet Union were the only two rival superpowers until the end of the Cold War, when China also became a rival superpower.

Question 27

Because of NAFTA, an American business owner may be able to save money through which of the following?

A) by setting up a shell corporation in the Cayman Islands to avoid U.S. taxes
B) by moving a manufacturing plant from the United States to Mexico, where labor is cheaper
C) by purchasing cheap goods from China without paying taxes or tariffs
D) by outsourcing customer service jobs to India
E) by purchasing government-issued bonds to cover basic business expenses

Question 28

Which of the following is most consistent with a multilateral foreign policy?

A) the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
B) a country's refusal to participate in organized sanctions to stop North Korea's nuclear program
C) George W. Bush's renunciation of international treaties
D) a country's proclamation of its right to take preemptive military action when the president considers it appropriate
E) the U.S. refusal to sign treaties to ban land mines

Question 29

What is the primary responsibility of the secretary of state?

A) national defense policy
B) homeland security
C) intelligence
D) diplomacy
E) military policy

Question 30

What is the main foreign or defense policy threat posed by Iran?

A) civil unrest
B) nuclear capabilities
C) economic collapse
D) trade disagreements
E) conventional arms

Question 31

When is the president most likely to pursue foreign policy that is inconsistent with that desired by the public?

A) immediately before an election
B) immediately after an election
C) during divided government
D) when the president's advisors believe doing so is in the national interest
E) when the United States in engaged in asymmetric warfare

Question 32

Congress can exercise influence over foreign policy through its power to __________.

A) command the armed forces
B) appoint the secretary of defense
C) ratify treaties
D) recognize the sovereignty of foreign countries
E) receive diplomats

Question 33

Which of the following is the most heavily involved in gathering and analyzing information about foreign governments?

A) the Secret Service
B) the Department of the Treasury
C) the National Security Agency
D) the Transportation Safety Administration
E) the Department of State

Question 34

Which of the following represents one reason the director of National Intelligence has difficulty coordinating intelligence?

A) The Central Intelligence Agency, which is in charge of coordinating intelligence-gathering activities, does not provide the DNI with sufficient information.
B) Although the DNI is in charge of the U.S. intelligence budget, other agencies such as the CIA and the Department of Defense decide when and how operations will be put into effect.
C) The DNI relies heavily on information from the National Security Agency gained by monitoring communications, and that information is often misleading.
D) The Department of Defense controls most of the U.S. intelligence budget even though its intelligence operations do not fall under the jurisdiction of the DNI.
E) Intelligence is obtained by many different agencies and must be cleared by both the Department of Defense and Homeland Security before the DNI is allowed access to it.

Question 35

Which of the following accurately describes the war in Iraq?

A) The United States participated in the war but did not lead it.
B) The United States stayed in Iraq longer than other countries did.
C) Saddam Hussein launched the war through an attack on Iran.
D) The United States went to war as retribution for its involvement in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
E) The war received near universal praise from U.S. allies.

Question 36

Which of the following is an example of unilateralism in American foreign policy?

A) participation by the U.S. in organized sanctions to stop North Korea's nuclear program
B) President Obama's approach to foreign affairs
C) the U.S. refusal to sign treaties establishing an international criminal court
D) U.S. leadership of and financial contributions to the IMF and World Bank
E) the U.S. agreement to suspend normal trade rules and allow global firms to produce critical generic drugs

Question 37

Which of the following has as its primary responsibility conducting surveillance about the inner workings of countries across the world?

A) the Department of Defense
B) the secretary of state
C) the Central Intelligence Agency
D) the World Trade Organization
E) the Marshall Plan

Question 38

Which of the following would the president be most likely to consult to determine the best way to use the military to destroy North Korea's nuclear capabilities?

A) the secretary of defense
B) the secretary of Homeland Security
C) the secretary of state
D) the director of National Intelligence
E) the national security advisor

Question 39

Which of the following was a fundamental part of the George W. Bush administration's case for the 2003 war in Iraq?

A) Iraq attacked Israel in 2002 with SCUD missiles and was threatening to do so again.
B) Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
C) Saddam Hussein had provided considerable funding to Osama bin Laden.
D) Saddam Hussein had provided al-Qaeda with military intelligence and training.
E) Saddam Hussein had permitted Osama bin Laden to use Iraq for training terrorists.

Question 40

In which of the following areas is the United States most likely to become embroiled in a dispute with China?

A) trade policy
B) antiterrorism policy
C) military conflict
D) immigration policy
E) environmental policy

Question 41

Why did the United States agree to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade with the World Trade Organization?

A) to increase the number of markets readily available for American products and services and to halt piracy of patented and copyrighted goods
B) to prevent the salaries of American workers from increasing faster than inflation
C) to relocate manufacturing jobs to other countries in order to take advantage of cheaper labor
D) to slow down the pace of globalization
E) to make it harder for goods manufactured in Canada and Mexico using cheap labor to enter the United States tariff-free

Question 42

Terrorists are most likely to target which of the following?

A) elected officials
B) members of the military
C) civilians
D) bureaucrats
E) political dissidents

Question 43

The United States and the Soviet Union were the main adversaries in the Cold War.

Question 44

The Commitment to Development Index (CDI) that measures the quantity and quality of foreign aid provided to poor countries ranked the United States low on providing direct foreign aid, but this result may be misleading because __________.

A) the index relies on questionable indicators of development such as the extent to which a country has incorporated technology in its business enterprises
B) the quality and quantity of exports that contribute to the economic development of a country are not taken into account in the data from which the index is compiled
C) the index judges development primarily on how well a country can provide military security for its population
D) the index ignores important factors such as the degree to which rich-country trade policies encourage poor-country imports and the degree to which rich countries are open to migrants from poor countries
E) the index relies on qualitative judgments to produce quantitative data, includes possibly inessential components, and may be based on a false premise.

Question 45

When President Obama took office, why did he emphasize using soft power over use of the military to settle foreign policy disagreements?

A) Soft power is more likely to be successful.
B) Soft power is more likely to halt nuclear proliferation.
C) Soft power is less likely to lead to multilateralism.
D) Soft power is more likely to restore America's image and standing in the world.
E) Soft power is less likely to be appropriate for trade disagreements.

Question 46

Why is it easier for the president to influence foreign and defense policy than it is for Congress to do so?

A) The president has a larger group of foreign and defense policy advisors.
B) The president has unlimited appropriations for foreign and defense policy.
C) The president has the power to approve treaties.
D) The president can pass laws that require Congress to act.
E) The president cannot use the military without prior approval from Congress.

Question 47

Under the George W. Bush administration, Congress reorganized the intelligence community and created a new position known as the director of National Intelligence. Why did Congress do this?

A) The director of the Central Intelligence Agency needed additional authority to combat the growing threat posed by weapons of mass destruction.
B) The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks revealed flaws in the way the U.S. intelligence community operated.
C) There was a need for the decentralization of authority within the intelligence community to prevent competition between agencies.
D) The previous organizational structure of the intelligence community encouraged the various agencies to do too much of their work collaboratively.
E) Congress wanted the Bush administration to have greater influence over the intelligence community.

Question 48

How has U.S. foreign policy in Iran and North Korea been similar for much of the past decade?

A) It has been largely focused on economic development.
B) It has been largely driven by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
C) It has been largely determined by the wealth of natural resources the countries possess.
D) It has emphasized diplomacy over military action.
E) It has been driven by the threat the countries pose to the United States.

Question 49

Which of the following best summarizes why the protection of intellectual property rights (patents and copyrights) is a complex foreign policy issue?

A) China is the primary violator of intellectual property protections through its piracy of movies, software, and drugs, but the United States has to maintain a close relationship with China because we depend on that country for loans.
B) Too many countries are producing generic drug substitutes of pharmaceutical products with American patents poorly, so the drugs are dangerous to the populations of those countries.
C) While most Americans believe movie and music piracy should be stopped, many believe companies should provide life-saving drugs at low prices or allow poor countries to produce generic substitutes.
D) Americans believe that piracy in any form is wrong, since it affects the American economy, but other countries have no qualms about pirating music, movies, and generic drugs that are protected in the United States.
E) Poor countries producing generic drug substitutes could easily obtain the drugs through global firms that have lowered prices on a range of drugs to make them readily available, but these countries want to acquire the profits and so it is difficult to stop the infringement.

Question 50

How is terrorism different from traditional military force?

A) Terrorism usually involves military targets.
B) Terrorism is typically designed to instill fear in the general public.
C) Terrorism is typically better financed.
D) Only governments engage in terrorism.
E) Only nongovernmental political actors engage in terrorism.

Question 51

Which of the following provides the best evidence for the claim that America's soft power waned during the first decade of the twenty-first century?

A) President Obama's attempts to negotiate with adversaries and increase collaboration with allies
B) the mix of diplomatic pressure, multilateral sanctions, and International Atomic Energy Agency inspections used to deter nuclear weapons in North Korea
C) the rise of anti-Americanism following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, not only in the Arab world, but also in Western Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Russia
D) the nuclear cooperation treaty President George W. Bush signed with India in 2006
E) the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon

Question 52

The head of the Central Intelligence Agency has primary responsibility for coordinating the intelligence-gathering and interpretation activities of all the scattered intelligence agencies.

Question 53

Which of the following would be most consistent with Barack Obama's "Air-Sea Battle" concept for structuring the military?

A) expanding the size of the military to have the capacity to fight two major land wars simultaneously
B) using more armed drones to conduct counterinsurgency operations
C) increasing the number of large U.S. military bases in Europe
D) funding groups that that are attempting to overthrow democratically elected socialist governments
E) using the Air Force to fight terrorism and the Navy to provide homeland security

Question 54

Which of the following is most likely to have the greatest influence over U.S. foreign policy?

A) secretary of state
B) director of the Central Intelligence Agency
C) director of the National Security Agency
D) director of National Intelligence
E) chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Question 55

Why are unilateralists dissatisfied with contemporary U.S. foreign policy?

A) because the United States does not work closely enough with the United Nations and other international organizations
B) because the United States does not provide enough foreign aid to poor countries
C) because the United States works diligently to protect its intellectual property rights, even though poor countries need life-saving American drugs
D) because the United States has refused to work with its allies to address terrorism
E) because the United States relies heavily on negotiations with adversaries and collaboration with allies, particularly in regard to economic and nuclear proliferation issues

Question 56

The president traditionally has more influence over foreign policy than does Congress.

Question 57

When President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talked about a "pivot towards Asia" in America's foreign policy priorities, they were referring to which of the following?

A) China's economic rise and increasing military power, along with its takeover of American allies like Vietnam, Taiwan, and Indonesia, leading India and Japan to forge closer relationships with the United States
B) the goal of the United States to stay on peaceful terms with China and Japan in order to obtain repayment of the economic development loans America has extended to them
C) China's economic rise and increasing military power, along with its interest in countries rich in oil and gas, leading India and Japan to forge closer relationships with the United States
D) the increased interest among American businesses in moving factories to Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, and Japan to procure cheaper labor and thereby increase profits
E) the rise of economic and military power in India and Japan, along with their interest in countries rich in oil and gas, leading China to forge a closer relationship with the United States

Question 58

Which of the following is the president most likely to consult with for advice about how to best take advantage of the strengths of the various service branches when conducting a military operation?

A) the Central Intelligence Agency
B) the director of National Intelligence
C) the secretary of Homeland Security
D) the secretary of state
E) the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Question 59

Why has the United States taken a keen interest in China in recent years?

A) The United States wants to ensure that China does not fall into communist rule.
B) The United States wants China to be a bastion of democracy in an otherwise volatile area of the world.
C) China has a large supply of oil that can be exported to the United States.
D) China is a large market in an increasingly global economy.
E) China has begun to implement increasingly isolationist foreign and defense policies.

Question 60

The Joint Chiefs of Staff serves as an advisor to the president on military policy.

Question 61

Barack Obama's approach to U.S. foreign policy is best described as unilateralist.

Question 62

If Congress does not like the way the president is executing foreign policy, Congress can refuse to appropriate money for the president's policies.

Question 63

The secretary of __________ is a civilian and a member of the president's Cabinet who advises the president about military policy.

Question 64

According to the "By the Numbers" feature box, the Commitment to Development Index measures the extent to which a country helps __________.

Question 65

The George W. Bush administration's stated reason for __________ was the danger posed by weapons of mass destruction.

Question 66

The war and occupation in Iraq and the continuing struggle in Afghanistan dampened much of the initial enthusiasm for the unilateral position advocated by George W. Bush for most of his presidency.

Question 67

The failure of the U.S. government to notice the developing threat to American interests posed by a new terrorist organization would suggest that the intelligence community is not doing a good job.

Question 68

The primary responsibility of the National Security Council is to advise Congress about national and defense policy.

Question 69

The Middle Eastern country of __________, which has been an important part of American foreign policy for a long time because of its role in the oil economy, has now become a greater concern because of its regional ambitions and progress in developing nuclear weapons.

Question 70

The recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were quick and decisive military and diplomatic victories for the United States.

Question 71

The secretary of state spearheads U.S. diplomatic efforts on behalf of the president.

Question 72

Conventional and strategic military power is not always useful when dealing with terrorists, who often use the unconventional tactics of __________ warfare.

Question 73

The cost of providing health care for military veterans is expected to increase due to the influx of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Question 74

The 2003 war in Iraq was the United States' most immediate and direct response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Question 75

The __________ has primary responsibility for foreign, military, and defense policy in the United States.

Question 76

The North American Free Trade Agreement promotes the free exchange of goods and services among the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Question 77

Terrorism is a technique used to effect political change by instilling __________ among the general public.

Question 78

After World War II, under American leadership, the most important trading nations adopted the __________, an agreement designed to lower, then eliminate, tariffs on most traded goods and to end nontariff trade restrictions as well.

Question 79

U.S. foreign policy toward China is largely driven by the fact that China is a large market in an increasingly global economy.

Question 80

__________ refers to the increasing worldwide integration of markets, production, and communications across national boundaries.