American Foreign Policy

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The three levels of national interest for the U .S . post 1945 are : vital important and least important . The vital level from 1945 to 1989 involved the policy of keeping Russia and Communism from escalating and becoming dominant . This central policy was what gave the term `Cold War . The U .S . spent 44 years containing , minimizing the impact of Russia and its quest to spread Communism . This included the nuclear proliferation policy of maintaining nuclear warheads pointed at major Soviet Union bases of power . In turn , the Soviets pointed at major [banner_entry_middle]

U .S centers for maximum destruction . This policy resulted in a situation known as `dytente ‘ – from Encarta English Dictionary – to reduce tension and hostility between nations

The important level was to keep countries such as Korea and Cuba under surveillance and watch for their military development . In fact , both Korea and Cuba would later pose a threat with the Korean War and the Cuban Missile Crisis – Bay of Pigs . This was the closest to nuclear war

Under the least important category would be the signing of trade agreements

Currently , the vital category post 9 /11 would be the systematic removal of terrorists and their supporting structures . This is the most pressing mandate in current U .S . foreign policy and involves the war in Iraq Afghanistan and literally anywhere terrorists and their supporters may reside

Under the important level is stopping the advancement of nuclear weapons from Iran and North Korea . Besides terrorism , this is the second most important and pressing level . More importantly the sale and prevention of nuclear weapons and the products to make such weapons need to be secured , minimized to nations who only have nuclear weapons and strong and credible action against nations who continue to proceed with nuclear development

Lastly , the least important would be trade agreements

The central difference between the categories is that the U .S . knew exactly who their enemy was and what they were willing to do when speaking about Russia . Currently , the U .S . does not know who exactly their enemy is and how to properly direct action

2

George Keenan ‘s Containment Policy was a political policy to be used against the Soviet Union in to contain and restrain their ideology of Communism and their way of ruling . Keenan believed that `containment could be accomplished by creating and restoring the balance of power preventing the spread of Communism to other countries and demonstrating that Communism just doesn ‘t work . Keenan stated in his The Sources of Soviet Conduct (otherwise known as the X-article ) that this may be accomplished by .contain[ed] [by] the adroit and vigilant application of counterforce at a series of constantly shifting geographical and political points ‘ He also stated that the United States need only to measure up to its own traditions and prove itself worthy of preservation as a great nation ‘ in to counter the Soviet Union and its ambition for power and control . Keenan ‘s policy of containment was visionary… [banner_entry_footer]