Question 1

To resolve disputes with other countries in an impartial fashion, the United States occasionally turns to _________________, rather than military action, economic sanctions, or other means of coercion.This is true for most trade disputes, and when the United States sought to resolve a long-standing dispute with Italy over American property confiscated by the Italian government more than 40 years earlier.

Accepted Answer

Dispute arbitration administered by neutral third parties is a common method for resolving international disputes impartially, as it involves an unbiased entity to facilitate the resolution process.

Question 2

After World War II, sparked by economic talks held by the United States and its allies (excluding the Soviet Union) in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, toward the war's end, a number of countries laid the groundwork for a trade agreement that evolved, decades later, into the World Trade Organization.What brought the countries together to do this was:

Accepted Answer

The countries were motivated by the fear of repeating the economic devastation that followed World War I and the belief that the economic turmoil of the 1930s contributed to the outbreak of World War II.

Question 3

What provoked the first invocation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Article 5, which provides that an attack on one member country is an attack on all of them?

Accepted Answer

The first and only invocation of NATO's Article 5 was in response to the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.

Question 4

If the president or a duly appointed executive branch official (e.g., the Secretary of State) meets with dignitaries of a foreign government with the purpose of promoting national values or interests by peaceful means, he or she can be said to be engaging in:

Accepted Answer

Diplomacy involves managing international relations, typically by a country's representatives abroad, and is aimed at promoting national values or interests through peaceful means.

Question 5

The New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), a replacement for an older nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and the Russian Federation that was signed by President Obama and then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and ratified by the Senate in 2011 after a 71-26 vote in its favor, was a classic example of:

Accepted Answer

The New START is a bilateral treaty between the United States and Russia, focusing on nuclear arms reduction.

Question 6

The United Nations' power lies mainly in its Security Council, which has the authority to make decisions that member states are obligated to implement.It rarely takes strong international action, however, because:

Accepted Answer

The Security Council's effectiveness is often limited because any one of its five permanent members has the power to veto substantial proposals, preventing action even if there is majority support.

Question 7

An example of an economic interest that has successfully influenced foreign policy, through its stress on intellectual property rights, is the ___________ industry.

Accepted Answer

The computer hardware and software industry has been influential in shaping foreign policy to protect intellectual property rights, as these are crucial for their business models and profitability.

Question 8

Presidents tend to distrust career diplomats because:

Accepted Answer

Under the modern presidential system, more personal responsibility has been heaped on the presidency in international affairs.

Question 9

What is the most visible instrument of foreign policy that any country has?

Accepted Answer

Military force is the most visible instrument of foreign policy as it involves direct and tangible actions that can be observed by other nations and the global community.

Question 10

On broad, long-term foreign policy issues, such as American participation in the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement, larger business and industry groups find it difficult to get their members to speak with a single voice because:

Accepted Answer

Members of larger business and industry groups often have diverse and sometimes conflicting economic interests, which can lead to differing perspectives on foreign policy issues.

Question 11

Although diplomacy is a powerful tool of foreign policy, by its very nature it takes patience and is overshadowed by:

Accepted Answer

Diplomacy is often overshadowed by spectacular international events and dramatic initiatives, which tend to capture more immediate attention and media coverage.

Question 12

What is the supreme body of the United Nations (UN)?

Accepted Answer

The UN General Assembly is the supreme body of the United Nations. It is composed of all 193 Member States of the United Nations.

Question 13

Although the International Monetary Fund has billions of dollars, collected from all its members, with which to make loans to developing or economically unstable countries, it generally does so in ways that are consistent with the interests of __________.

Accepted Answer

The IMF's decisions are generally influenced by its leading shareholders, which include the United States, Europe, and Japan, as they have significant voting power.

Question 14

Which of the following is an organization founded in 1945 and created with the goal of increasing and maintaining international order, as well as providing a channel for international cooperation?

Accepted Answer

The United Nations was founded in 1945 with the goal of promoting international cooperation and maintaining international order.

Question 15

Which international institution, created toward the end of World War II by the United States and its allies (excluding the Soviet Union), provides development aid to poor countries through the financing of long-term projects?

Accepted Answer

The World Bank was established in 1944 to provide financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development projects (e.g., infrastructure, health, education) that are expected to improve the economic prospects and quality of life for people in those countries.

Question 16

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), established in 1944 by the United States and its allies in World War II (excluding the Soviet Union), was created to help needy or developing nations by:

Accepted Answer

The IMF was primarily established to provide short-term financial assistance to countries facing balance of payments problems, enabling them to stabilize their economies and make necessary purchases and investments.

Question 17

When the United States goes it alone in imposing economic sanctions against a foreign country in the hopes of stopping the target from engaging in behavior that it sees as threatening to American interests, it is:

Accepted Answer

Unilateral sanctions are often less effective because the targeted country can find alternative trading partners.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of an attempt to find a diplomatic solution to an American foreign policy problem?

Accepted Answer

President Trump's engagement in talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was an attempt to find a diplomatic solution to the tensions over North Korea's nuclear missile development.

Question 19

Presidents have, in recent decades, reduced the importance of the Senate in foreign policy through the use of:

Accepted Answer

Presidents have increasingly used executive agreements to bypass the Senate's role in treaty ratification, allowing them to create politically binding agreements with other countries without needing Senate approval.

Question 20

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has come under fire by critics since the 1990s for its requiring "structural adjustment" in efforts to reform the finances of large debtor nations and formerly communist countries because this policy:

Accepted Answer

The IMF's structural adjustment policies often require countries to adopt market-oriented reforms, which critics argue align with the interests of wealthier nations.

Quiz 14: Foreign Policy