U.S. presidents and foreign policy mistakes / Stephen G. Walker and Akan Malici.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Walker, Stephen G., 1942-

Contributor:

Malici, Akan, 1974-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

National security--United States--Decision making.

National security.

Presidents--United States--Decision making.

Presidents.

United States--Foreign relations--Decision making.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (360 p.)

Place of Publication:

Stanford, Calif. : Stanford Security Series, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

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.<BR

Contents:

Mistakes as a feature of everyday political life

Foreign policy mistakes and the exercise of power

Fearing losses too little : deterrence failures

Fearing losses too much : false alarm failures

Seeking gains too late : reassurance failures

Seeking gains too soon : false hope failures

Foreign policy analysis : maximizing rationality

Foreign policy analysis : minimizing mistakes

Avoiding foreign policy mistakes : extension and expansion

Foreign policy dynamics : the Middle East and South Asia systems

Some final thoughts : exploring the rationality frontier.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780804780698

0804780692

OCLC:

749264359