Domestic Determinants Of U.S. Foreign Policy

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The notion of military primacy is the view that the U.S. has a military that is unmatched in the world. In recent times, the rhetoric between Iran and the U.S. has been invidious. There are concerns that the Iranian further advancement of Uranium is perilous. Notwithstanding the fragile nature of the situation in the Middle East, the recent killing of the Iran General, Qasem Soleimani by President Donald Trump has heightened the risk for conflict.
On August 6th, 2020, Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo shared on his Facebook page the concern that China’s relationship with Iran is dangerous since it can lead to Iran securing dangerous weapons, that Iran is the largest sponsor of terrorism, and that this is against the interest the U.S.
Use your understanding of realism, considerations of morality, and the issue of domestic determinants of U.S. foreign policy, and describe how the United States should deal with Iran?
Your initial discussion postings (300-350 words) should demonstrate an understanding and analysis of the assigned readings and videos. It is helpful to reference the assigned material in your response demonstrating connections between your thoughts and the course resources.

Veto Player Games ( 12 Questions Attached)

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Questions 1{6
Assume a bicameral legislature and a one-dimensional left-right policy space stretching
from 0 to 10. The location of the status quo policy is SQ = 5, the location of the median
voter in the lower chamber is LC = 9, and the location of the median voter in the
upper chamber is UC = 7. Assume that both median voters have a single-peaked utility
function and that the support of both chambers is needed to pass a new policy. Assume
that a voter will vote for a new policy over the status quo if she is indi erent between them.
(1) What is the range of policies that the median voter in the lower chamber prefers to the
status quo?
? (a) 5-10.
? (b) 5-9.
? (c) 5-7.
? (d) 7-9.
? (e) 4-10.
(2) What is the range of policies that the median voter in the upper chamber prefers to
the status quo?
? (a) 5-10.
? (b) 5-9.
? (c) 5-7.
? (d) 7-9.
? (e) 4-10.
(3) What is the overlapping range of policies preferred by both chambers to the status
quo?
? (a) 5-10.
? (b) 5-9.
? (c) 5-7.
? (d) 7-9.
? (e) 4-10.
2
(4) If the lower chamber is the agenda setter and can make take-it-or-leave-it proposals,
where on the left-right issue dimension will the lower chamber make its policy proposal?
? (a) 5.
? (b) 7.
? (c) 8.
? (d) 9.
? (e) 10.
(5) If the upper chamber is the agenda setter and can make take-it-or-leave-it proposals,
where on the left-right issue dimension will the upper chamber make its policy proposal?
? (a) 5.
? (b) 7.
? (c) 8.
? (d) 9.
? (e) 10.
(6) Now assume that SQ = 8. What is the winset of the status quo?
? (a) The winset is empty.
? (b) 7-8.
? (c) 8-9.
? (d) 7-9.
3
Questions 7{9
Figures 1 and 2 on the next page show a two-dimensional issue space, where both social
spending and defense spending can range from 1 to 5. The status quo (SQ) policy and the
ideal points of veto players A and B are shown. For now there is no agenda setter.
(7) Would you expect defense policy to be more stable in Figure 1 or in Figure 2?
? (a) More stable in Figure 1.
? (b) More stable in Figure 2.
? (c) The same in both gures.
(8) Would you expect the size of a defense policy shift to di er in Figures 1 and 2?
? (a) Bigger in Figure 1.
? (b) Bigger in Figure 2.
? (c) The same in both gures.
(9) Now assume that player A is the agenda setter in both gures. Is player A more
powerful in Figure 1 or in Figure 2?
? (a) More powerful in Figure 1.
? (b) More powerful in Figure 2.
? (c) Equally powerful in both gures.
4
Defense spending
Defense spending
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Figure 1:
B
SQ
A
1
2
3
4
5
Social spending
Figure 2:
SQ
A
B
1
2
3
4
5
Social spending
5
Questions 10{11
Figure 3 on the next page shows a two-dimensional issue space. The status quo (SQ) policy
and the ideal points of veto players A and B are shown. Potential policy proposals are
denoted by X.
(10) Draw indi erence curves for each veto player with respect to the status quo (SQ).
Shade in the winset if there is one. Which of the potential policy proposals (labeled X1X5)
would win in a pairwise contest against the status quo?
? (a) X1.
? (b) X2.
? (c) X3.
? (d) X4.
? (e) X5.
? (f) None of them is located within the winset.
(11) If Figure 3 remained the same except that B were no longer a veto player | that is,
if A could choose policy independently | where would policy end up?
? (a) X1.
? (b) X2.
? (c) X3.
? (d) X4.
? (e) X5.
? (f) A.
? (g) B.
6
Issue 2
1
2
3
4
5
Figure 3:
Two veto players A and B
X4
X1
SQ
B
X2
X3
A
X5
1
2
3
4
5
Issue 1
7
Question 12
Figure 4 on the next page shows a two-dimensional issue space. The status quo (SQ) policy
and the ideal points of veto players A, B, and C are shown. Potential policy proposals are
denoted by X.
(12) Draw indi erence curves for each veto player with respect to the status quo (SQ).
Shade in the winset if there is one. Which of the potential policy proposals (labeled X1X5)
would win in a pairwise contest against the status quo?
? (a) X1.
? (b) X2.
? (c) X3.
? (d) X4.
? (e) X5.
? (f) None of them is located within the winset.
8
Issue 2
1
2
3
4
5
Figure 4:
Three veto players A, B, and C
B
X4
X1
SQ
C
X2
X3
A
X5
1
2
3
4
5
Issue 1
9

Essay

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There are 3 optional articles, you can choose one to analyze
In your paper, respond to the following prompt, using 1 paragraph for each portion as needed. With 5 paragraphs, and an average of 150 words in each paragraph, this means your essay should be approximately 750-1000 words.  In each paragraph, there should be at least one concrete reference to a point made in the book, lecture, or your own current events reading (just put the reference in parentheses following the sentence and identify the source as fully as possible):
1)    Describe: what is this a case of? What are the relevant facts and are they reliable or controversial? (3 pts: 1 pt for describing the case, 1 pt for including the relevant facts, and 1 point for description of reliability)
2)    Analyze the main arguments made by the article about why it is a challenge for world order and the possible sources of the problem. (3 pts: 1 pt for identifying the main arguments and 2 pts for the explanation)
3)    Evaluate this argument:
–which ideologies are driving the debate (1 pt)
–evaluate the logic and evidence to analyze the situation (2 pts: 1 pt for evaluating the logic and 1 pt for evaluating the evidence )
–does the ideology work for this problem? Explain (3 pts: 1 point for stating if yes/no, and 2 points for explanation)
4) Compare at least one alternative ideology we could apply from those we have studied: (realism, conservatism, liberalism, neoliberalism, Facsim, nationalism, Marxism, Anarchism, anti-Racsim, populism, religious fundamentalism, feminism, environmentalism)
—summarize the ideology (1 pt)
–discuss the logic and evidence for how this different approach might yield a different result or solution (4 pts: 2 points for discussing the logic and 2 points for discussing the evidence)
5)  Discuss the implications of your choice for world order, in more general terms or for “this type of conflict” in other places.  What does your “best choice” ideology mean for how we would repair or replace the current world order? (3 pts: 1 pt for what does it mean, 1 pt for relation to other issues, 1 pt for what to do)