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U.S. National Security
Policy:
Nat'l Security Policymaking
in Practice
Masaryk University
Fall 2009
Dave McCuan
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This Week's Agenda
* Bush II vs. Obama Strategies &
`Worldview'
* Strategic Constants & Norms
* International Relations Theory
* Instruments/Elements of National Power
* The Limits of Military Power
* Strategy as a Concept & Process
* USA "National Interests"
* The US National Security Strategy
(NSS) 2008, 2009
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What is "National Security?"
What are its components?
How wide-ranging is the term,
"national security?"
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... Predicting Nat'l
Security Policy
Understanding the 90% on the
bottom from the 10% on the top
"I hold that man is in the right who
is most closely in league with the
future." Henrik Ibsen
"There is no use trying," said
Alice, "one cannot believe
impossible things." Lewis Carroll
"But, how do you tell?"
Richardson
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National Security Policymaking in
Theory
On-going conversation about
What are our national interests?;
Our vital interests?;
Who and what threatens them?;
What we should do about it?
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Politics in Policy-Making
* Facts are not enough to set policy priorities
* Politics = Clash of values & interests in
determining policy
* Clash of "future visions"
* What "ought to be"
* How to get there
* Role of budgets & budget-making here?
* Policy legitimacy
* How policy choices were made
* Not their "correctness"
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National Security Strategies
* National Power
* Alliances & Coalitions
* Collective Security
* International law
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National Power
Capacity to influence the decisions &
actions of other countries & actors
Power = Work / Time
= Force x Distance / Time
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Components of National Power
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Bases of Military Power
Geography
National resources
Population
Economy (fiscal resources)
Industrial capacity
Technology
Willingness to Use Force
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Bases of Political Power
Moral authority & Reputation
Leadership
Capacity for Diplomacy
Engagement in Bilateral & international
political institutions
Organizations
Treaties
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Bases of Economic Power
Dominance of Markets & Trading
[strategic minerals & resources]
Oil in 1940s and 1950s
Foreign Investment & Fiscal Capacity
Capital : Financial Loans, Grants, Aid
Control of International Financial Institutions
Boycotts, Embargoes, Blockades
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Policy Arenas
High Policy
Should we develop a national missile defense system
and how much should we spend?
Middle Policy
What would be the most effective NMD configuration
and how should the program be managed?
Low Policy
Which competing interceptor design in best?