Us Foreign Policy Exam

Front 1

SALT II

Back 1

Arms CONTROL treaty. Ceiling of 2400 launch vehicles, and only 1230 could use a MIRV warhead, or have a single missile that can strike several targets. Senate never ratified

Significance: SALT II was the first nuclear arms treaty which assumed real reductions in strategic forces to 2,250 of all categories of delivery vehicles on both sides. SALT II helped the U.S. to discourage the Soviets from arming their third generation ICBMs with many more MIRVs

Front 2

Carter Doctrine

Back 2

Any attempt by an outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf Region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the USA, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary--including military force.

Significance: The doctrine was a response to the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, and was intended to deter the Soviet Union—the Cold War adversary of the United States—from seeking hegemony in the Persian Gulf. End of detente.

Front 3

Reagan Doctrine

Back 3

Committed to active support of anti-communist insurgency movements.

Significance: While the Truman doctrine supported established governments, the Reagan Doctrine supported guerrilla anti-communist movements. Reaction to wary American support for Vietnam-type intervention.

Front 4

Low-intensity Conflict

Back 4

Arm, equip and train indigenous counter-revolutionary forces without direct US involvement. Used in Angola, Afghanistan and Nicaragua. Highly criticized.

Front 5

Boland Amendment

Back 5

Congress cut off US assistance to contras, the counterrevolutionary force fighting the Sandanistas in Nicaragua.

Significance: Precursor to the Iran-Contra Scandal

Front 6

Iran-Contra Scandal

Back 6

After Congress cut off assistance to the contras, Reagan engaged in a secret network, conducted by Oliver North and the NSC, to continue fund support. Despite an arms embargo against Iran and supporting Iraq in the Iraq-Iraq war, the US secretly sold weapons to Iran. Also hoped to help release hostages held captive in Iran by pro-Iranian militants.

Front 7

Mikhail Gorbachev

Back 7

Soviet leader proposed "new thinking" in economic, political, and social sphere. Reached out to US to ease tensions--claimed Soviets needed a break from the Cold War.


Significance: Soviet leader who was historic in changing Soviet rhetoric and reducing tensions with the US and Reagan.

Front 8

glasnost

Back 8

openness in the political realm, open participation and discussion among Soviet people

Front 9

perestroika

Back 9

restructuring economy and bureaucracy through introduction of market principles

Front 10

Strategic Defense Initiative

Back 10

US network of satellites to shoot down incoming nuclear missiles via laser technology. Unfeasible due to cost, nonexistent technology, and would also violate ABM treaty.

Significance: Peak of high tensions and arms race between Soviets and Regan's administration.

Front 11

Reykjavik Summit

Back 11

Renew arms control talks. Dealt with arms control; Gorbachev's goal was to limit SDI by:
1) reducing long range missiles by 50% over 5 years
2) Eliminate medium/intermediate missiles in Europe
3) At 10 yrs, elimination of ALL nuclear missiles

Reagan rejected due to proposal to limit SDI to laboratory.

Significance: Gorbachev was a man they could negotiate with

Front 12

INF Treaty

Back 12

Destruction of medium and intermediate range nuclear missiles globally.

Significance: Regan said he would "trust, but verify" with Soviets. Gone by 6/91, step toward nonproliferation.

Front 13

Boris Yeltsin

Back 13

Replaced Gorbachev as leading advocate for reform. Sped up process as Gorbachev negotiated Union Treaty to give more autonomy to 15 Soviet constituents.

Significance: Final step toward unraveling of the Soviet Union

Front 14

Tiananmen Square

Back 14

After 1 million pro-democracy Chinese protested in defiance of martial law, Chinese tasks broke up the protest by opening fire on civilians.

Significance: Bush suspended military sales to China, but displayed his realism as he was soothing over relations behind the scenes.

Front 15

Manuel Antonio Noriega

Back 15

Corrupt Panamanian President that had been providing intelligence for the US for 30 years. After major drug smuggling conviction, US distanced themselves from him, and invaded Panama. Did not provide enough money for a successful coup attempt, and was significant as it was initially Bush's first foreign policy failure. Eventually overthrew Noriega in Operation Just Cause

Front 16

Operation Desert Shield

Back 16

Deployment of allied troops to defend Saudi Arabia from possible invasion by Iraq in 1990, and formed part of the 1990-91 Gulf War

Significance: Led to UN Security Council approval for military force against Iraq, and Bush asked Congress for functional equivalent of war w/Iraq. Isolationist vs. Internationalist debate

Front 17

Operation Desert Storm

Back 17

US intervention to dispel Hussein's Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Five week air bombardment and 4 day ground attack. After ceasefire, called for Hussein to turn over missiles, Bio and nuclear weapons, and comply with UN weapons inspections. Eventually led to sanctions from 91-2003.

Front 18

Paul Bremer

Back 18

Headed political regime of Coalition Provisional Authority in post-invasion Iraq, responsible for debathification, dismantling of Iraqi forces, and halting the formation of an Iraqi led government

Front 19

Executive Agreement

Back 19

Agreement by President with another state that DOES NOT require Senate approval.

Front 20

War Powers Resolution

Back 20

Attempt to limit unilateral deployment of US military forces by President. Beginning with NIxon, opposed to by every US President. Has not worked empirically since 1973. Suffers from weakness of language in the concurrent resolution.

1)Defines when the President can act
2)Mandates consultation and reporting
3) Limits length of military action
4) Defines congressional ability to withdraw troops

Front 21

Case-Zablocki Act

Back 21

Under the Congressional Power of Treaty Ratification: President must inform Congress of the existence of an executive agreement within 60 days.