American Foreign Policy: (War and Conflict in the Modern World)

As the world s only superpower, America s foreignpolicy inevitably has a major impact D be it positive ornegative - on contemporary international affairs. Since theterrorist attacks of 9/11, George W. Bush s decision to moveaway from multilateral decision-making toward a more aggressive,pre-emptive style of foreign policy attracted widespread debate,and criticism, throughout the world. Reversing direction, theBarack Obama presidency is placing greater emphasis on constructiveor peaceful engagement within multilateral frameworks, relying onspecial envoys to deal with some of the thorniest problems. In this book, Paul Viotti explores American foreign policy from thefounding of the republic in the late 18th Century to the presentday. Part 1 examines the broad policy options available to the USgovernment: namely, peaceful engagement, containment throughdeterrence or coercive diplomacy, and armed intervention. Part 2looks at the American experience in foreign policy. By exploringearly precedents and elite practices, the moralism of Americanexceptionalism as well as the roots of an expansionist Americanforeign policy, the discussion draws out the continuities runningfrom the 18th century to the present. Part 3 concludes with ananalysis of the politics of interest on the Potomac with analysisof the interplay of contending policy elites, factions and partiesinfluencing foreign policy making today. Assessing alternatives, the author concludes that even thoughcontainment and armed intervention will remain part of the way theUnited States conducts its foreign policy, diplomatic engagementoptions are the most promising course of action for the comingdecades.

Table of Contents:
* Foreword by Kenneth M. Jensen * Preface and Acknowledegments * Introduction * Part One: Peaceful Engagement, Containment and ArmedIntervention * Chapter One: Peaceful Engagement and Diplomacy * Chapter Two: Containment of Adversaries * Chapter Three: Armed Intervention and Warfare * Part Two: Foreign Policy in the American Experience * Chapter Four: Institutionalized Elite Practices and theMoralism of American Exceptionalism * Chapter Five: Intervention and ExpansionismNAcquiringTerritory, Spreading Ideas, and Pursuing Other Interests * Part Three: Theoretical Reflections and PracticalExpectations * Chapter Six: Elite Understandings of Power * Chapter Seven: Politics on the PotomacNInterests, Elitesand Parties * Chapter Eight: Presidential Power in Politics on thePotomac * Conclusion * Selected Readings

About the Author :
Paul R. Viotti, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, is a professor at the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies where he is also Executive Director of the Institute on Globalization and Security (IGLOS). His publications include volumes on arms control, international relations and world politics, and international relations theory. He brings to this volume over four decades of work in international relations and foreign policy both as scholar and practitioner.

Review :
"Paul Viotti, who has served as both a career military officer and professor, has written an excellent introduction to American foreign policy that is both theoretically and historically grounded. It will be of great value to students and professors alike." Dan Caldwell, Pepperdine University "Professor Viotti has done a masterful job of analyzing the factors that go into the making and implementing of American foreign policy. After reviewing the kinds of foreign policy options available to policy makers, he shows how these options have been applied by various US administrations in the last 200 years. He also identifies particular themes that have helped determine American foreign policy and concludes with reflections on the role of presidential power. Overall, a brilliant summary of what happened and why in American foreign policy since the earliest days of the republic." Ambassador George M. Lane, U.S. Foreign Service (retired) "With its focus on the policymaker, Paul Viotti's new book is both engaging and distinctive; this approach gives students a sense of the range of policy options to consider in particular cases and it allows those familiar with IR theory to make connections between those theories and policymaking." Daniel G Lang, Lynchburg College