American Foreign Policy I:

Sixteen Key Principles Shaping American Foreign Policy

by

Gordon Neal Diem, D.A.

Primary Associate, ADVANCE Education and Development Institute

1106 Arnette Avenue, Durham, North Carolina 27707

AdvanceInstitute@yahoo.com

Introduction to the Text

The focus and content of a text on "American Foreign Policy" is the parochial, self-centered, often selfish, interests of the United States in the world of nations. If the text was titled "International Relations," the focus and content would be on the U. S. effort to cooperate with and "get along with" the other nations of the world. Because the text is titled "American Foreign Policy," the text focuses on efforts by the U. S. to achieve its own national objectives and to further and enhance itself, sometimes at the expense of other nations, nationalities, interests, and groups. This primer, American Foreign Policy I, focuses on the sixteen key principles upon which American foreign policy appears to be built. For a discussion of American foreign policy history, please go to American Foreign Policy II: A Brief History of American Foreign Policy.

The United States bases its pursuit of specific foreign policy objectives on a variety of justifying principles; these "key principles of American foreign policy" are the focus of this text. Most foreign policy decisions incorporate several of the principles, each principle adding its portion to shaping the final foreign policy decision. Most of the key principles of American foreign policy have their origin with the founding of the nation. Quotes from Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century American statesmen document the history of many of these principles.

Sixteen Key Principles of American Foreign Policy

Basic Approaches to Foreign Policy

Isolationism and Neutrality vs Internationalism and Interventionism: An Historic Overview

"Idealist" School vs "Realist" School

Sixteen Key Principles Shaping American Foreign Policy Toward the Nations of the World

1. Maintaining or Restoring and International "Balance of Power"

2. Support for Western Values

3. Protecting United States National Security and National Autonomy

4. Domestic United States Public Policies Extended Abroad

5. Geopolitical Considerations

6. Administrative and Political Expediency and Bureaucratic Infighting

7. Beliefs and Cognitions of Top Officials

8. Limitations Imposed by the Decision-Making Process

9. Non-Entanglement with Europe

10. Freedom of the Seas, Freedom of Commerce, and Freedom of Movement

11. Maintenance of a Protective Tariff

12. Peaceful Settlement of Disputes

13. Protection of the Nations of Western Europe

14. Protection of the Nations of the Western Hemisphere

15. Perpetuation of Existing Political Regimes

16. American Insularity and Isolationism

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Click Here for PAGE 2

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GORDON NEAL DIEM, D. A. is President and Primary Associate of ADVANCE Education and Development Institute, a non-profit educational and research institute providing education and consulting services to the Independent Sector.

This primer text in American foreign policy principles is based on lectures prepared while Dr. Diem was serving as Assistant Professor of Social Sciene and Human Services Administration at Springfield College, Springfield, MA and as Assistant Professor of Political Science at North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC. Companion primers include American Foreign Policy II: History and American Foreign Policy III: Actors. A full text integrating all three primers, information on American foreign policy toward various regions of the world, and other information is available as American Foreign Policy: Principles and Personalities, available from Sanuk-Telikon publications.

Dr. Diem holds a masters degree from Mississippi State University and a Doctor of Arts degree in interdisciplinary social science from Idaho State University. Dr. Diem is a current or past member of numerous political science and social science professional associations, including the Society for International Development, Southern Political Science Association, and the Free Nation Foundation. He is a former Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve, with active duty service in the Republic of Korea. He holds a certificate in international trade and development from North Carolina Central University and is a graduate of the U. S. Army Civil Affairs Officer Advanced Course.

Other texts by the author include Social Science Research Methods, CT Publishing, Politics, Sociology and Economics of the Municipal Area, CT Publishing, American Foreign Policy , Telikon Publishing, and a series of Community Action Monographs, Telikon Publishing, addressing issues of practical politics, media relations, fundraising and other Independent Sector concerns. Dr. Diem is also the author of numerous encyclopedia entries and produced an award-winning series of community television video programs cablecast on Durham Community Television, Cable Channel 8 and other outlets. These series included the weekly program Today's Third World which focused on international development issues.