U.S. presidents and foreign policy mistakes /
Walker, Stephen G.,1942-author.
Malici, Akan,1974-author.
Stanford, California : Stanford Security Series,
2011, ©2011.
Mistakes, in the form of bad decisions, are a common feature of every presidential administration, and their consequences run the gamut from unnecessary military spending, to missed opportunities for foreign policy advantage, to needless bloodshed. This book analyzes a range of presidential decisions made in the realm of US foreign policy -- with a special focus on national security -- over the past half century in order to create a roadmap of the decision process and a guide to better foreign policy decision-making in the increasingly complex context of 21st century international relations.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 319-335) and index.
I. The anatomy of foreign policy mistakes -- Mistakes as a feature of everyday political life -- Foreign policy mistakes and the exercise of power -- II. Mismanaged threats -- Fearing losses too little : deterrence failures -- Fearing losses too much : false alarm failures -- III. Mismanaged opportunities -- Seeking gains too late : reassurance failures -- Seeking gains too soon : false hope failures -- IV. Maximizing rationality and minimizing mistakes -- Foreign policy analysis : maximizing rationality -- Foreign policy analysis : minimizing mistakes -- V. Foreign policy mistakes in complex adaptive systems -- Avoiding foreign policy mistakes : extension and expansion -- Foreign policy dynamics : the Middle East and South Asia systems -- Some final thoughts : exploring the rationality frontier.
Mistakes, in the form of bad decisions, are a common feature of every presidential administration, and their consequences run the gamut from unnecessary military spending, to missed opportunities for foreign policy advantage, to needless bloodshed. This book analyzes a range of presidential decisions made in the realm of US foreign policy -- with a special focus on national security -- over the past half century in order to create a roadmap of the decision process and a guide to better foreign policy decision-making in the increasingly complex context of 21st century international relations.
National security
Presidents