Assignment 2.2

Policemen of the World Thesis and Outline

Introduction

Thesis Statement: The United States military has assumed the role of the policeman of the world during the 21st century that has caused their participation in international events in different parts of the world.

Outline

I. International Events Involving U.S. Military that can be Traced back to foreign policy after Civil War

A. U.S Military Strike in Libya

· The US military participated in a NATO led intervention in Libya in 2011 that led to the removal of Muammar Gaddafi from power (Daalder & Stavridis, 2012)

· The Intervention was based on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 that was signed by the United States.

· The UN Security Council voted for a policy to protect the Libyan citizens by supporting the military action against the Gaddafi regime.

B. U.S. Military Intervention in Syria

· During the Syrian Civil War, U.S. government attempted to assist the Syrian rebels.

· This was part of the Military Action against ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) agreement signed in 2014.

· Aside from Syria, this agreement has facilitated attacks on Iraq by the U.S. army

II. Aspects of US history since 1865 that have led to the US’s rise as a world super power policeman

A. Four Freedoms

· These are goals of Freedom Articulated by President Franklin Roosevelt.

· He proposed four freedoms that all people everywhere in the world deserve.

· The four freedoms include freedom of speech, worship, fear, and want

· These four freedoms have become a basis for inspiration for the assistance offered by the U.S. military to the nations that are struggling with them

· This has also been used by people justifying the United States interventions in other nations.

B. Industrialization

· The U.S. became a global superpower after the rapid industrialization that took place during and after the Second World War. The U.S. was one of the biggest suppliers of military equipment. Its military was also respected by countries all over the world hence the help they offer to other countries is trusted (Coffee Jr., 2008).

C. The Truman Doctrine

· This was foreign policy created by Harry Truman to counter the geopolitical expansion by the Soviet during the Cold War (Hatzivassiliou, 2010).

· President Truman established that the United States was going to provide economic, military, and democratic assistance to all nations that were under threat from internal or external authoritarian forces.

· The United States was prepared to intervene in foreign nations to improve its political structure.

D. The Cuban Military Crisis

· This was a 13-day military and political stand-off between the Soviet Union and the United States that happened in 1962 (Kennedy, 2011).

· The blockade around Cuba demonstrated that the United States was prepared to do anything to promote national security.

· Therefore, the US is prepared to intervene in other countries given that their intervention will promote security

III. Driving forces that fueled international policy decisions involvingthe international incidents you outlined previously

A. International Treaties

· The United States has various international treaties to promote global peace.

B. National Security

· The U.S. government is highly dedicated to its national security

· It is always pen to any policies that will promote its security

· An example is the attacks on the Islamic states that have threatened the U.S, security through terrorist attacks.

C. International Military Presence

· The United States has military bases in dozens of locations around the world.

· As at 2014, the U.S had 38 military based in various parts of the world with almost 10,000 personnel

· Therefore, the U.S. military is always prepared to intervene internationally if required.

· The U.S has the necessary infrastructure needed to offer help internationally.

References

Coffee Jr, J. C. (2008). Securities Policeman to the World?: The Cost of Global Class Actions. NY LJ, 5.

Daalder, I. H., & Stavridis, J. G. (2012). NATO's victory in Libya: the right way to run an intervention. Foreign Aff., 91, 2.

Hatzivassiliou, E. (2010). Greek reformism and its models: The impact of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. Journal of Modern Greek Studies, 28(1), 1-25.

Kennedy, R. F. (2011). Thirteen days: A memoir of the Cuban missile crisis. WW Norton & Company.