Making Foreign Policy

The G8 nations plan a summit for May 18-19, 2012, at Camp David.

President Richard Nixon went to China in 1972, paving the way for normalized relations between the two countries.

A profile of Gary Locke, U.S. Ambassador to China.

A brief look at the tenure of Hamilton Fish, 26th U.S. Secretary of State

A look at 19th Century events in the diplomatic "special relationship" between the United States and Great Britain.

The United States led the NATO intervention in Libya, but don't expect it to do so in Syria. The reasons are many and varied.

An overview of the United States State Department allocation in the Fiscal Year 2013 federal budget.

The post-World War II Marshall Plan to help the recovery of Europe was the grandfather of all U.S. foreign aid projects.

United States proposes a Code of Conduct for Space to limit congestion in Earth orbit.

President Obama announced on January 5, 2012, that, in the wake of budget constraints and changing strategic needs, the U.S. military is going to become "leaner."

A 2011 list of the year's top foreign policy stories.

The United States opened a "virtual" embassy in Tehran, Iran, on December 6, 2011; within 12 hours the government of Iran blocked the site from Iranian internet users.

The United States and Australia have a long history of cooperative relations, much of it the result of shared wartime experiences.

When open mics at the G20 summit caught Nicolas Sarkozy calling Benjamin Netanyahu a "liar," the incident pointed out the need for caution against "loose lips" in foreign policy.

Many U.S. soldiers have gone on to make U.S. foreign policy. Here are my top ten.

While the term "Manifest Destiny" sounds like it is strictly historical, it also more subtly applies to the tendency of U.S. foreign policy to push democratic nation-building around the globe.

The United States Congress as frozen aid to Palestine.

In foreign policy and diplomacy, nations must negotiate from a position of power, or at least have some political leverage, for their policy initiatives to be effective.

A look at a U.S. Senate proposal to levy stronger sanctions against Syria.

The Bush Doctrine of US foreign policy combined elements of unilateralism with preventive warfare.

A biography of Dennis Ross, National Security Advisor and Special Assistant to President Obama

A description of the War Powers Act of 1973, its function and intent.

Find out who really shapes US foreign policy.

The President of the United States has broad power to direct U.S. foreign policy. But who helps? And what are the limits?

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have a significant role to play in shaping and directing U.S. foreign policy.

The Secretary of State (the position is more commonly called "Foreign Minister" in other countries) is the highest ranking, non-elected person in the U.S. government.

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs oversees legislation and budgetary matters related to the international relations of the United States.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has oversight over the foreign policy agencies of the U.S. government, including the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the Peace Corps. The Committee reviews and considers all diplomatic nominations and international treaties, as well as legislation relating to U.S. foreign policy.

Foreign policy centers, membership groups, and service organizations have a stake in America's international relationships. They also wield considerable influence among policy makers.

State and local governments are playing a larger role than ever in shaping America's presence abroad. But the role is still limited.

An index of foreign policy people on the About U.S. Foreign Policy site.

From Brookings to the United Nations, there are a number of institutions important to the creation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy. Here are a number of profiles from About U.S. Foreign Policy.

A number of citizens groups are out there making a difference in U.S. Foreign Policy. Keith Porter--your About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy--explains.

How much does America's desire for global engagement cost?

The lack of solid news coverage of world affairs has a profound effect on American foreign policy.

A profile of the RAND Corporation, one of America's oldest foreign policy think tanks, from About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy Keith Porter.

A profile of the Center for American Progress, an influential American group working on progressive approaches to a variety of issues including U.S. foreign policy, from About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy Keith Porter.

A profile of the Heritage Foundation, one of America's influential groups devoted to U.S. foreign policy, from About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy Keith Porter.

A profile of the Brookings Institution, one of America's influential groups devoted to U.S. foreign policy, from About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy Keith Porter.

A profile of the Council on Foreign Relations, America's most influential group devoted to U.S. foreign policy, from About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy Keith Porter.

A profile of the American Enterprise Institute, an influential American group working on conservative approaches to a variety of issues including U.S. foreign policy, from About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy Keith Porter.

A profile of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, one of America's influential groups devoted to U.S. foreign policy, from About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy Keith Porter.

America's interests - and reach - are global. Therefore, a crisis anywhere on the planet has a good chance of being on the agenda at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon as well. Here are the top hot spots consuming U.S. foreign policy efforts today.

Foreign policy uses "hard power" and "soft power," but what is "smart power"? Keith Porter--your About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy--explains.

The blogosphere is full of high quality writing by leading experts on U.S. foreign policy. Keith Porter - your About Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy - recommends the best foreign policy blogs.

Russia and China's double veto in the U.N. February 4, 2012, of an Arab League plan to stop violence in Syria caused angry reactions from American officials.