Book Description

The classic text on the conduct of American foreign policy, Hook and Spanier's book has long set the standard in guiding students through the complexities of the field. With each edition, the authors find that new developments in foreign policy conform to the book's enduring theme-that there is an American "style" of foreign policy imbued with a distinct sense of national exceptionalism. Giving students the historical context they need, the book allows them to truly grasp the functions and frequent dysfunctions of the nation's foreign policy agenda. Thoroughly updated, this nineteenth edition's noteworthy revisions include: Comprehensive coverage of the most recent developments in world politics, including the "Arab Spring," the global debt crisis, and the rise of China as a major world power; Extensive treatment of the gradual U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, its ongoing war in Afghanistan, military operations in Pakistan, the takedown of Osama bin Laden, and the new U.S.-Russian START treaty; Exhaustive coverage of foreign policy under President Barack Obama and its connection to domestic politics, including: Obama's efforts to revive U.S. credibility abroad, to wield soft power along with military muscle, and to extricate the U.S. from Iraq and Afghanistan; and Coverage of new scholarly findings and policy debates that offers new insights on the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Reagan "revolution," the end of the Cold War, and the U.S. response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Book jacket.