Question 1

What role does the Central Intelligence Agency play?

Accepted Answer

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The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the chief government intelligence-gathering agency, has two primary functions: espionage and covert action.

Question 2

What is the national security state?

Accepted Answer

Students' answers may vary.
The national security state is a complex of executive, military, and secret powers that shaped American international relations in the Cold War and largely excluded Congress and the public from decisions about the country's security.

Question 3

Explain the importance of the military-industrial complex.

Accepted Answer

Students' answers may vary.
Cold War expansion of the military was furthered by the growth of the military-industrial complex .Coined by President Eisenhower, the term refers to the potentially dangerous influence of the political alliance between the Pentagon and the corporations that manufacture its arms.Expensive new weapons systems are mutually rewarding to the armed forces and to companies, especially in such fields as aircraft, electronics, and shipbuilding, for which defense contracts can bring in billions of dollars a year in guaranteed sales.Defense contractors thus place their financial muscle and lobbying resources behind Pentagon budget requests.

Question 4

Define a preventive war.

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Question 5

Imagine you have been asked by the president to come up with a list of suggestions concerning the future of American foreign and defense policy.Make a case for what should happen in three of the following issue areas: overall foreign policy objectives; the Pentagon; the intelligence community; and economic security.

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Question 6

Explain the difference between multilateralism and unilateralism.

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Question 7

What is the theory of expansion?

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Question 8

Explain the importance of the Cold War.

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Question 9

Explain the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

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Question 10

Conventional wisdom says political elites and experts should handle foreign policy, as it is far too important to allow the public to influence.What, if anything, is wrong with this formulation?

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Question 11

What role does the Department of Defense play?

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Question 12

Compare and contrast Obama's approach to foreign policy with Bush's approach.Make sure to explain the overarching theories that inform both administrations.

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Question 13

What is isolationism?

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Question 14

What is covert action?

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Question 15

Identify the major institutions and actors of the national security state.Describe their functions and influence during the War on Terror.

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Question 16

What is the theory of containment?

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Question 17

What role does the Department of State play?

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Question 18

What role does the National Security Council (NSC)play?

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Question 19

Who are the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)?

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Question 20

How important is the national security adviser?

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Quiz 18: Foreign Policy in the National Security State