What are the major security threats facing the United States?  Should
the US have invaded Iraq?  Can Middle Eastern countries, including
Iraq, build democratic governments?  If so, what role should the US
play in this democratization process?  What should be the role of the
US in reconstructing war torn countries, such as Afghanistan and
Iraq?  What position might the US hold in an ever changing
international system, particularly one that includes many non-state
actors such as terrorists?  These are only a few of the questions
that seem to be in the minds of many Americans.

With the upcoming 2004 Presidential election, the direction of US
foreign policy has been greatly debated.  This course will critically
examine the current and possible future trends in United States
foreign policy.  We will begin by considering the theoretical issues
that shape foreign policy making and the system in which foreign
policy decisions are made.  The remainder of the course will focus on
the specific foreign policy problems that currently face the United
States and will discuss and evaluate the current nature and future
direction of US foreign policy.  Specific topics to be discussed
include: the war against terrorism; the Iraq war; reconstruction
efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq; international democratization and
support for human rights; US dependence on foreign sources of oil;
and war and international law.  We will also consider the changing
nature of international relations and the possible future role that
the US will play in the world.  The course is designed to encourage
students to think critically about the United States’ role in foreign
affairs and to become a more informed citizen on foreign policy.