Developing Foreign Policy

I believe that in developing its foreign and domestic policies, a nation-state's first priority should be keeping its people safe. In my opinion, the United States has clearly failed at this. Our leaders have been so busy sticking our nose in other countries' business that they failed to protect the American people. Before 9/11 they ignored repeated warnings by their own experts regarding likely attacks of the same kind (Katznelson, 368). The United States has military bases on every continent except Africa, with 15 major military bases and 600 smaller ones (Katznelson, 350). Is this amount of control really necessary? What advantages do US citizens gain from this practice? 


Secondly, a nation-state should concern itself with the overall wellbeing of the world. As the world becomes more and more globalized, individual countries are affected more and more by the state of the rest of the world. Take for example how the disaster in Japan and the crisis in Libya have affected the lives of Americans (just look at gas prices, among other things!). The United States might pursue worthy goals such as working with other nations to eliminate nuclear weapons; taking the lead in promoting alternative energy sources and other steps to deal with global warming; preserving the world's battered ecosystem; reducing poverty, hunger, disease and economic inequalities; and strengthening democracy and human rights (Katznelson, 368).


Sources: 
Katznelson, Ira, Mark Kesselman, and Alan Draper. The politics of power: a critical introduction to Americna government. 6th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.,2011. 2-12. Print.


"WSN Proposals." World Security Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. <www.worldsecuritynetwork.com/dsp_proposal.cfm%3Fproposal_id%3D230&usg=__lYqNNxw5HLkmaaTvd6BgTXThHko=&h=375&w=300&sz=67&hl=en&start=52&sig2=6IS9uiDrakCd1XO1Zn5new&zoom=1&tbnid=vIsRtY91rTuOcM:&tbnh=139&tbnw=103&ei=haaYTevVGojQsAPZp9XBBQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3DU>.