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MASARYK UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND EUROPEAN STUDIES
Fall 2009
Midterm Review Sheet for United States National Security Policy
Date of Exam: Tuesday, November 9th
, 2009, 8-9:30 am
PLEASE BRING TWO SHEETS OF BLANK PAPER & A PEN
Terms: This is not an exhaustive list of all terms that might appear on the exam, but is a close
approximation of what you need to understand. To be prepared, you should be comfortable writing
a few sentences for each of the following (for example define the term, explain why it is relevant for
US National Security policy, and provide an example):
1) Anarchy
2) National Power (NP) & its components
3) The Basis/Bases of Military Power
4) The Basis/Bases of Political Power
5) Basis/Bases of Economic Power
6) Role of Legitimacy in Policymaking
7) Rational Actor Model
8) Components of Rationality (RB = ...)
9) Balance of Power means what?
10) The "Security Dilemma"
11) Deterrence
12) Compellence
13) Coercion
14) Interstate War & its Demise
15) Democratic Peace Theory
16) Misperception in Nation-State Relations
17) Treaty of Westphalia, State Sovereignty
18) (3) Types of Policy "Arenas"
19) (3) Means How The US Projects Power
20) Rummel on Genocide; Politicide; Mass
Murder; & Democide
21) NSC, NEC, IA, IATF, DNI, CJCS,
NSC-PCC, PDs, PDDs, NSPDs, NSDDs
22) NSPD-1
23) The "Principals" Committee
24) The "Deputies" Committee
25) PCCs Responsibilities
26) IWGs Responsibilities
27) How many US Intel Agencies Exist
Today?
28) The IC ­ Old & New structure
29) E.O. 12333, SMO & OMO
30) USA PATRIOT, FISA
Short Answers, Identifications, Summary Answers: To be prepared, you should be
comfortable writing a few out one to not more than two paragraphs on each of the following:
Describe "national security" and provide a definition
What are the component parts & policies of "national security?"
Define & provide an example of "national interests." What are the component parts of "national
interests?"
Define & provide an example of "vital interests." What are the component parts of "vital
interests" and the foci of "vital interests?"
Why are "national interests" & "vital interests" important to US National Security
Policymaking?
What are the requirements for "Grand Strategy?"
Describe these requirements, their norms, and constraints
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Short Answers, continued (cont'd):
Describe each main school of IR theory affecting US National Security Policymaking?
Can you explain how these Schools of IR Theory affect the elements of Nat'l Power?
What are the elements of "National Power?"
Describe the "strategy process" behind US National Security Policymaking and the
formulation of "Grand Strategy"
Describe the role of "politics" in the policymaking purpose?
What value do "budgets" play when evaluating policy? What do budgets communicate
or tell us about policy positions? Why is that important?
What are the FOUR national security strategies?
Describe the "Frequency of War" chart & describe its elements
Define "terrorism" What are its components?
List and define the 4 "generations of warfare"
List and define the 3 broad arguments on the "roots of terrorism"
Define "state-sponsored" terrorism
Define "state-sanctioned" terrorism
Define the "waves of terrorism" thesis
Further Definitions: Students should be familiar with the acronyms found at the "Center
for the Study of Intelligence" (Navigate to https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-thestudy-of-intelligence/index.html
and then do a search for "Abbreviations and Acronyms")
Short Essays: Several of the short essay questions below will appear on the midterm and
you will be asked to answer ONE OR TWO of them. Be sure to answer the questions in
a short essay of several paragraphs. Be sure to address each aspect of the question.
1) Describe how US National Security Policy-making is influence by changes in
conflict? How has Asymmetric Warfare (AS / ASW) affected the conduct of conflict
and the challenges of policy-making?
2) Statecraft treats "cooperation" as desired outcome but what does "realism" say or
predict about "cooperation?" Is realism a theory that can predict cooperation? How
does the policy of realism affect US National Security policy? What forms would we
expect US National Security policy to look like under such an arrangement?
3) Discuss the four generations of warfare model and their implications for US National
Security policy.
4) According to Rochester, how is the paradigm in IR central or important to
understanding US National Security interests?
5) According to Haftendorn, what is the problem the term "security?" How is "global
security" as both concept and in practice problematic from the point of view of this
article? Finally, how do conceptions of "international security" clash with US
National Security policymaking?