Us Foreign Policy

The United States foreign policy is marked by the country's large economy, well-funded military, and its political influence. Madeleine Albright said "The purpose of foreign policy is to influence the policies and actions of other nations in a way that serves your interests and values." The difficulty the United States had in generating support of even Latin American countries for Security Council resolutions in support of the Iraq War suggests how little international influence we now have.

An issue of nuclear weapons for defense is that the risk of an accidental or inadvertent nuclear launch is unacceptably high. The Bush administration has signaled that it is committed to keeping the U.S. nuclear arsenal as a mainstay of its military power. It's a commitment that is simultaneously eroding the international norms that have limited the spread of nuclear weapons and fissile materials for 50 years. Today, the United States has deployed approximately 4,500 strategic, offensive nuclear warheads.

The United States is using nuclear weapons as a foreign-policy tool. Since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons have remained highly controversial and contentious objects in the forum of public debate. Those that support this method of defense say that having these weapons is a good thing and that we are in danger without it. Those who oppose say that it is immoral and dangerous.

My personal opinion is that in this day and age, it is necessary for us to have these weapons at our disposal. Other countries have already begun their stocking of nuclear weapons, and if we dispose of ours, we are at a high risk. It may seem immoral, but it is what's necessary for our country's survival. After all, if they are never used, then they can't do any harm.

The US being the wealthiest, strongest and most influential nation, it is worth seeing how their actions or inaction affect other nations.