Current U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy
One of the more important models for analyzing American foreign and national security policies is that which focuses upon the President and United States as leaders in the world environment. Since the end of the Second World War, many writers specializing in foreign policy have expressed a sentiment which looks at world events in terms of how they were affected by U.S. leadership. Under this model, one of the major themes in the study of foreign policy has been the decline of U.S. leadership in the world since the 1960s (Clarke, 1995, pp. 42-43).
Under this sort of model, it has been natural for analysis to include examination of the performance of the President in the formulation and implementation of foreign and national security policies. Various policies have been identified with particular administrations (and have usually been named after the President responsible for the policies). These policies have then been analyzed with reference to the international and domestic conditions present during the particular administrations and have been compared to the policies of other administrations (Ambrose, 1991, pp. 32-41).
The foreign and national security policies initiated by the Clinton administration were criticized early on for having no direction. In fact, Clinton had no experience in foreign policy or international relations and was elected because his focus was centered on domestic issues. Inaugurated in January 1993, Clinton did not publish a formal document containing a national security strategy until June 1994. Critics have charged that the administration has not initiated policy decisions to cover particular issues, but has instead responded to foreign policy issues as they arise (Snider, 1995, pp. 126-27).
However, this has not been a fair assessment. Indeed, the Clinton administration has made international economic issues the center of its foreign and ...