Who Formulates Foreign Policy?

Published February 23, 2023

The formulation of foreign policy involves multiple government agencies that don’t necessarily communicate with one another. The resulting ambiguity can make it difficult for foreign countries to understand how to deal with the United States. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Should US foreign policy be easy or difficult to make? Why?
2. What could America do to ameliorate the civil war in Yemen?

Additional Resources:

• Read “Turkey is the Wild Card” by Russell Berman. Available here.
• Read “Syrian Tragedy, Turkish Error, American Failing,” by Russell Berman. Available here.
• Watch “Second Fronts in Great-Power Conflicts,” on PolicyEd. Available here.