Foreign policy of the nation

1. What were the main foreign policy achievements of the Carter administration? Where did Carter fail?

ANS:

Carter believed that the Nation’s foreign policy should reflect its highest moral principles, and cast himself as a fresh face in order to win the Presidency. This was a distinct break in the policy and practices of the Nixon administration. Carter’s greatest foreign policy achievement was helping negotiate a historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, known as the Camp David Accords. Israel had agreed to withdraw from the Siani Peninsula, which it had seized from Egypt during the Six-Day War. He also was successful in Civil Rights, his administration included more African Americans and woman than ever before. Carter failed in the Iran Hostage Crisis. A rebel group took over the Shah and captured 52 American hostages, Carter refused to send back the Shah therefore resulting in not receiving the hostages. The hostages were released once Carter left office.

2. Describe and illustrate the main features of Reaganomics.

ANS:

Reaganomics were the economic policies put forth by the administration of President Ronald Reagan, especially emphasizing supply-side theory. The theory of supply-side economics was that if people paid fewer taxes, they would save more money. Banks could then loan that money to businesses, which could invest the money in resources to improve productivity. The supply of goods would then increase, driving down prices. The ideas behind Reagonomics were to reduce the growth of government spending, reduce government regulation, reduce the federal income and capital gains tax, and tighten the money supply in order to reduce inflation. The effects of Reaganomics resulted in budget cuts, tax cuts, increased defense spending, recession and recovery, and the Nation Debt climbed.

3. What was America’s role in world affairs during the Reagan and Bush years?

ANS:

During Reagans years, communism was failing. He created anticommunist policies in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Grenada. Nicaragua got rid of the threat of the newly formed Sandinista government, El Salvador made progress on human rights, and Grenada was invaded to prevent the island nation from becoming a communist outpost and to protect the lives of American medical students. In November 1989, Berlin’s walls were finally opened and the USSR separated into 15 independent republics due to the communist party losing power. Reagan also received credit for the end to the Cold War. During Bush’s administration, problems with the Vietnam War in the 1960’s and 1970’s caused the President to seek a coalition for many nations for Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Becoming allies with nations would help each other out for this operation.

4. Ronald Reagan practiced “the politics of symbolism,” according to one scholar. Is this an accurate assessment of Reagan’s presidential career?

ANS:

5. Were the Reagan and Bush administrations more successful at handling domestic or foreign problems? Explain.

ANS:

Reagan’s attempted across the board tax cuts and “Reaganomics.” He was more successful in his foreign affairs with the position he took on negotiating and the “Reagan Era” had a long-lasting impact on foreign policy. Reagan asserted American power in the world, aiding in ending the Cold War, turned up the heat on his anti-communist belief system, acknowledged the Soviet Union as an “Evil Empire,” and increased support for anti-communist rebels and authoritarian regimes.

President Bush was able to get Soviet Troops out of Europe, and reunify Germany. All of which he achieved without violence. He also put political pressure on the Israel, leading to the Madrid Peace conference. Aside from this, he failed to stabilize Afghanistan after Soviet departure.