Foregin Policy Essay Research Paper Foreign PolicyWith

place of France against the northern based Communists and the southern insurgents. The

United States felt it had to get involved to stop this Communist attack, if it were to

happen that the Communists won, we thought that the “Domino theory” would go into

affect. Basically what this theory said was, that if one southeastern country were to fall to the Communists the rest would follow like dominoes. After Kennedy was assassinated

Lyndon B. Johnson stepped into the role of Vietnamese protector and current Communist

bane. He increased the United States troops and started a plan to bomb the North

Vietnam area. During the course of the war Johnson relied heavily on the use of Selective Service, the drafting of Americans into the military, to send for support. All this support was for naught though, fore in January of 1973, a truce was signed in Vietnam and the United States withdrew their troops and involvement as Vietnam was taken over by the northern Communist government. Americans now began a series of skepticism regarding foreign relations that ended up in war. Some Americans were not very happy about the United States getting involved with other nations’ civil wars, but there were some that feel as I do; that we were helping to put and end to Communist control in the world. Although we were unsuccessful in the particular instance of Vietnam, I think that the United States should take on the role as world protector.

I believe that the United States should definitely play the part of world protector

whenever and wherever possible. In the beginning, I was essentially for the United States being Isolationist, but as time progressed I decided that this is the only way that our nation can go. The United States is the most powerful nation on earth, both economically and militarily, this is a statement hardly anyone can deny. The fact that we are the most powerful nation only says that we should take initiative, and guide the world towards peace. It is a responsibility that the United States has to other nations in the world. The reason for this is simple. Not only does taking the initiative of world leader show the fact that we have power but also other things. By concerning ourselves with other nations affairs we can make allies that will be good for the future. Granted some look at this as sticking our nose in other countries business, but I don’t look at it that way. I look at it like this, there will always be those that are weak in the world and there will always be the strong, therefore I feel those that are in power and are strong, should stick up for these nations, and let them know that they do have some one else in the world that cares. By involving ourselves as world police if you will, we also gain power in the process of doing our share of helping others. Now that I have proposed my opinion, it is important that we see what our national leader and our government say about foreign policy.

Lets take a brief look at the Clinton administration over the last term. Many say

that by and large Bill Clintons’ foreign policy for his first term is passive and reactive. Leading Republicans say that the Clinton administration was a foreign

policy of wish fulfillment and that it wanted China to respect their people and their rights,

for Bosnia to be one nation once more, Hussein to be cowed, and North Korea to be

totally rid of nuclear arms. This timid and wishful approach to foreign

policy made some Americans quite upset; it is not like the United States not to keep an

active role in the world. Clinton feels that he is doing a good job though, and likes to be

actively involved as a world peacemaker. In fact, recently Clinton has began an expansion of his presidential power concerning foreign policy, and many historians say that the only other president to rival this power was Nixon. Clinton has a bold attitude when it comes to intervention. He showed the power of the United States Chief Executive with his sending of military power to Haiti, Bosnia, Iraq, and Somalia. He completely ignored the existence of the War Powers Resolution which was put into action in 1973, says Political Scientist Louis Fisher. The War Powers Resolution was made in order to keep the President from sending troops to other nations without Congress approval. Clinton does not want to come across as a forceful leader though. In fact, President Clinton saw this forcefulness as a threat to him becoming a symbol of peace in the world. He thinks that only America can achieve global peace

because of its unrivaled power and stature. In the ‘96 campaign for

Presidency, Clinton had a profound statement considering his agenda for foreign policy.

He talked about his election seasons foreign policy as not being very interesting to the

average Joe in a barber shop or in the cafes of small town America and then said, “ There

are times when only America can make the difference between war and peace, between

freedom and repression, between life and death”. It’s this concern by Clinton that has made him a good foreign policy President.

When our founding fathers were fighting the British for independence and their very lives, they never knew just what a symbol of freedom the United States of America would become. They didn’t know that one day, this nation of rebels would have the responsibility of maintaining order in the world we live in. The government has an obligation to Americans to keep them in touch with other nations, not only for our sake, but the sake of the world. As the superpower on earth, we should make foreign policy an important aspect of our governing. In the winter of 96/97 Bill Clinton gave a profound speech to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He summed it up best with this, “We cannot save all the world’s children, but we can save many of them. We cannot become the world’s policeman, but where our values and our interests are at sake and where we can make a difference we must act and we must lead. That is our job and we are better, stronger and safer because we are doing it”.