Foreign policy updates
The term “foreign policy” refers to the official acts of a nation’s government that involve interaction with foreign countries, other than war. These actions include diplomacy, trade, and aid. It is often viewed as the opposite of military action, though many great leaders have served as both diplomats and militarists. Diplomacy involves negotiating treaties, making official declarations, and representing the country’s views in foreign affairs, while military action is usually carried out by a nation’s military.
Foreign policy is one of the primary areas of government responsibility, and is an essential part of a nation’s ability to function effectively. The goals of a foreign policy are to ensure the safety of citizens and to promote economic development in both the home country and abroad. In addition, it may be necessary to address issues of international concern that can’t be handled on a national scale, such as climate change, global poverty, and wars between nations or regions.
The United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs is the primary panel responsible for establishing legislation and overseeing bills related to foreign policy, and it has six standing subcommittees that manage specific areas of foreign policy including: export controls, nonproliferation of weapons, measures to foster commercial interaction with foreign nations and safeguard American business abroad, international commodity agreements, international education, and protection of Americans in foreign countries. The Great Decisions discussion program is an excellent way for individuals to learn about and discuss the most pressing issues in world politics.
