Instruction
Question 1:Identify at least one role that each of the following departments/agencies have played in foreign or defense policy: the State Department, the Defense Department, the CIA, the National Security Council, etc. Explain if you feel that the role you identified is a proper role for that department/agency. Explain why you feel the way you do by clarifying what roles you feel each of the departments should be involved with.
Responds 1: The Department of Defense is responsible for providing the military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our country. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an independent federal agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to our nation’s policymakers. The CIA’s primary mission is to collect, analyze, and evaluate foreign intelligence to assist the President and senior US government policymakers in making decisions relating to national security (Central Intelligence Agencey, 2018). The White House National Security Council (NSC) is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for consideration of national security, military matters, and foreign policy. While researching this question and getting a better understanding of each role, I do believe that each role has been identified properly. Each department plays they own role in the policy making process and are very much needed.
Reference:
Central Intelligence Agency. (2018). About CIA. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/todays-cia/what-we-do
Question 2:Find and read the Constitution of the United States, specifically the articles dealing with war powers. After reading the Articles of the Constitution that pertain to war powers, do you feel the executive branch should have as much power as it seems to have regarding war decisions? Do you feel the Supreme Court has taken an active enough roll in the war power debate? Justify your reasons.
Responds 2:The constitution of the United States was created to allow both congress and the president of the United States power over the decisions regarding the United States armed forces. According to section 2 c) the president is classified as the commander in chief in regard to the armed forces. The president is able to declare war, statutes and attacks upon others due to national emergencies. With that being said, I feel that the president should not be given this amount of power in regard to decisions with the armed forces. All armed forces decisions should be decided with congress. In more militaristic emergencies, the president of the United States and majority leaders of both congress and the house should make all militaristic decisions. The supreme court, represented as the judicial branch of government, has not played as crucial of a role in the declaration of war as they should be. Traditionally, the supreme court stays away from warfare interaction since, both the president and congress decide military matters. However, they do step in when either side exceeds or violates their privileges such as, in 2006 when president Bush used too much of his powers by having post 9-11 detainees on Guantanamo bay be put on trial before military commissions (War Treaty & Powers, 2019.) My opinion is to have the supreme court step in when either the executive or legislative branch crosses the line or exceeds limitations given to them in regard to warfare decision making.