A Citizen's Guide to American Foreign Policy

American foreign policy often looks like a trail of man-made debris and disaster. Of course, the explanations for many poorly-made decisions are rather complex. In this brief and cogent analysis, Houghton shows us that understanding American foreign policy often comes down to the psychology of decision-making, the limited options available, and the structure of government. This is vital, required reading for all readers who wish to better understand America's involvement in the world.

David Patrick Houghton is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Central Florida. He is the author of US Foreign Policy and the Iran Hostage Crisis (Cambridge University Press), Political Psychology: Situations, Individuals, and Cases (Routledge), and The Decision Point: Six Case Studies in US Foreign Policy Decision-Making (Oxford), as well as co-author of Controversies in American Politics and Society (Blackwell Publishing Inc).

Preface. 1. The Fiasco Factory: A Frank Drebin School of American Foreign Policy? 2. Don't Know Much About History: What's the Difference Between Iran and Iraq, Again? 3. Republicans or Democrats, and Leadership In General: Does It Make a Difference? 4. The Trouble With Congress 5. Special Interests: How Special Are They? 6. Making Foreign Policy By Image, Soundbite and Opinion Poll? 7. See No Evil, Hear No Evil 8. Conclusions.