Political Science 3191

Spring 2003

national security organization and policy making

http://socsci.colorado.edu/~gyoung/index/3191/3191_syl2.htm

Link to PDF VERSION of this syllabus to print

Instructor: Gregory D. Young

Office: Ketchum Hall Room 130

E-mail: gyoung@colorado.edu

Course Time and Location
Professor's Office Hours
001: M, W&F 9:00-09:50 MUEN E131
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
002: M, W & F 11:00-11:50 Ketchum 324
10:00 -11:00, Thursdays 11-12 
or by appointment

·Schedule for the Current Event Presentation

0900 Section

1100 Section

Course Objectives and Description

The purpose of this course is to examine the U.S. approach to the sub-field of political science, national security policy. The course is designed to give the student a broad overview of the history, scope and organization of U.S. national security. The chief responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens and their interests. Traditionally, security has been thought of in solely military terms. More recently, other issues, such as economics, human rights and the environment are now being thought of as national security issues. This course focuses on how the United States has in the past and will in the future assess and fulfill its national security goals.

At the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the following:

·How the U.S. government arrives at a national security policy.

·Students will be able to explain the roles of the president, Congress, the bureaucracy, interest groups and other actors on national security policy formulation.

·How have U.S. security policies evolved over the past century?Be able to apply the concepts of the class to previous and current national security questions.

·What are the issues in the post-cold war, post 9-11 world that will affect future priorities? Students will develop an assessment of a future national security posture for the United States.

Readings

The following books are available for purchase at the CU bookstore:

  1. (USNSP) Sam C. Sarkesian, John Allen Williams & Stephen J. Cimbala (2002), U.S. National Security: Policymakers, Processes and Politics. 3rd Ed., Boulder CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
  2. (DPCBA) Michael E. O?Hanlon (2002), Defense Policy Choices of the Bush Administration. 2nd Ed., Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press.
  3. (WTP) David Halberstam (2001) War in a Time of Peace. New York: Touchstone Books.
All readings including the texts listed above are on short-term reserve at the Norlin library.

Course Requirements

Weekly Readings and Class Participation

Regular attendance and active participation in class discussion will enhance your understanding of the course material and almost certainly improve your performance on the mid-term and final exams, which are together worth 55% of the course grade. Attendance is a large portion of your 10% participation grade.

The required readings range from 50 to 150 pages per week, as set out in the course schedule below.Your knowledge and understanding of the required readings will be tested in the mid-term and final exams.

Mid-Term and Final Exams

The mid-term exam will be held on Friday, March 7th at the usual class meeting times.The mid-term will include questions from the portions of War in a Time of Peace that should have been completed. The final exam will be held either on Saturday, May 3rd (11:00 section) from 10:30pm-1:00pm or Tuesday May 6th (0900 Section) from 4:30pm-7:00pm.Students must write the final exam in order to pass the course.A study guide for the final exam will be linked to this page in the final week of the course. One cannot understand National Security without a basic understanding of the world's geography. There will be a map on both the midterm and final exams requiring students to identify states and places, which have been in the news and have been discussed in the classroom.

Reading Summary

For each class period one student will be assigned to summarize the readings due in class. In a 2-page synopsis, the assigned student will give an overview of the key points of the reading. The student will submit both a paper copy and an electronic copy that I will post on the web for the review of your classmates. This summary will be 5% of your final grade.

Current Events

In addition, one student will present a current event orally to the class each day. The presentation should be no more than five minutes in length. The source should be from a respected news source, be less than one week old and pertain in some way with U.S. National Security Policy or Organization. News reports on the Internet are acceptable sources. The current event presentation will be part of your participation grade.
Research Essay
The U.S. Department of Defense just recently asked for an additional twenty two billion dollars to be added to the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. After the Cold War, American citizens expected to be the beneficiaries of a "peace dividend" to lower defense spending. Yet, the world is not a more peaceful place as many expected it would be. During the previous administration, President Clinton articulated that the most serious threat to U.S. security was the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, but now since September 11th, terrorism or Iraq have seemingly eclipsed that threat. 
Each student will be required to complete a research essay that examines the following problem. In the wake of the attacks on the United States on September 11th, you are a member of the president?s National Security Council staff. You are charged with recommending to the president the following questions: what are the most significant threats (more than one) to U.S. security in the next ten years? Why? Are these threats of a military or a nonmilitary nature? Does Iraq present an imminent danger to US interests? In response, how should the U.S. deal with these threats? How does the U.S. view of itself and of the world affect how America should respond? What international relations theory explains your recommended response? What areas of the defense budget (or other departments) should be reduced or increased. How should the U.S. pursue your recommend strategy given domestic political constraints and strategic culture? Is your recommendation realistic and feasible given those constraints and international ones?An understanding of current defense priorities is essential.
There are no right or wrong responses. You should, however, make a concise and cohesive argument for your recommended action. Be sure you answer all portions of the problem. The essay is due on Monday, April 21st and must be between 2200 and 2500 words in length (approximately 10 pages).Include a word count on the first page.Late essays will be docked one grade per class day of lateness (e.g., A- to B-, C to D, etc.) unless you provide a doctor?s note explaining why it was impossible for you to meet the deadline.Computer malfunction is not an acceptable excuse for lateness.Re-read your essay for clarity, grammar, spelling and punctuation, since poor execution of these elements will also affect your grade.Append a bibliography and provide references or footnotes where appropriate.No more than 50 percent of the sources of your paper may be internet-based.

Defense Policy Simulation

Four class sessions will be devoted to a simulation of the U.S. Defense Budgetary process. Each student will be assigned a role to play in the simulations ranging from Congressmen to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The simulation grade will be 5% of your course grade. Each student will be graded on effort, participation and achievement of your role?s objectives. A handout on the simulation will follow as the date nears.
Grading
Reading Summary5%
Mid-term exam25%
Research essay25%
Final exam30%
Defense Budget Simulation5%

Current events, attendance & participation10%

Final Course Grades will be curved unless a straight 90/80/70/60? proves more beneficial to the students. Also included in the participation grade will be the required attendance at one or more sessions of the Conference on World Affairs from 7-11 April 2003. Friday, 11 April will be a makeup course day to cover this attendance.

Students With Disabilities

If you have specific disabilities that require accommodation, please let your instructor know early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will be required to provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services Office in Willard 322 (telephone: 303-492-8671).

Cheating and Plagiarism

Cheating (using unauthorized materials or giving unauthorized assistance during an examination or other academic exercise) and plagiarism (using another's ideas or words without acknowledgment) are serious offenses in a university, and may result in a failing grade for a particular assignment, a failing grade for the course, and/or suspension for various lengths of time or permanent expulsion from the university. See the University of Colorado at Boulder Catalog for details. If you have any questions regarding proper documentation in your writing, please discuss it with your instructor.

Course Schedule

A) Introduction

Mon. Jan 13- Course Overview/Administration
Wed. Jan 15- What is National Security?
(USNSP) Preface and Chap 1
Fri. Jan 17- The International System
(USNSP) Chap 2

(WTP) Chaps 1-3

Mon. Jan 20- Martin Luther King Day/No Class

B) Overview of U.S. National Security

Wed. Jan 22- Strategic Culture, American Values and National Security

(USNSP) Chap 3

Fri. Jan 24- Evolutions of American Security Policy: Containment & NSC 68

Amos A. Jordon, William J. Taylor Jr., and Michael J. Mazaar, American National Security, 5th Ed., Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999. Pages 64-89. (1-6) Link to PDF Version

(WTP) Chaps 4-6

Mon. Jan 27- Evolution of American Security Policy: The Cold War

Movie ?Dr. Strangelove?

Wed. Jan 29- Evolutions of American Security Policy: Vietnam and Beyond

Amos A. Jordon, William J. Taylor Jr., and Michael J. Mazaar, American National Security, 5th Ed., Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999. Pages 64-89. (7-14)

C) Organization for National Security

Fri. Jan 31- The US Political System
(USNSP) Chap 4
(WTP) Chaps 7-9
Mon. Feb 03- The President and National Security
(USPSP) Chap 5
Wed. Feb 05- The National Security Council

(USPSP) Chap 6

Fri. Feb 07- The Military and National Security

(USNSP) Chap 7

(WTP) Chaps 10-12

Mon. Feb 10- Civil Military Relations
(USNSP) Chap 8
Wed. Feb 12- Intelligence and National Security
(USNSP) Chap 9
Fri. Feb 14- The National Security Policy Process
(USNSP) Chap 10

(WTP) Chaps 13-15

Mon. Feb 17- The Congress and National Security

(USNSP) Chap 11

Wed. Feb 19- The People, Public Opinion & National Security 

(USNSP) Chap 12

Fri. Feb 21- The International Environment 

(USNSP) Chap 13

(WTP) Chaps 16-18

Mon. Feb 24- Defense Budget Simulation

Simulation Overview and Role assignment: 0900 Section, 1100 Section

Wed. Feb 26- Defense Budget Simulation

Planning

Fri. Feb 28- Defense Budget Simulation

Budgeting

(WTP) Chaps 19-21

Mon. Mar 03- Defense Budget Simulation

Summary and wrap-up

Wed. Mar 05- Review for Midterm

Fri. Mar 07- MID-TERM EXAM

(WTP) Chaps 22-24

Mon. Mar 10- NO CLASS MEETING

Wed. Mar 12- Go over midterm exam

D) National Security in the Post-Cold War World

Fri. Mar 14- Long Range National Security Concerns

(USNSP) Chap 14

(WTP) Chaps 25-28

Mon. Mar 17- Guest Speaker- Dr. Jeff Larson SAIC

Wed. Mar 19- National Security and Civil Liberties

Timothy Lynch (2002), "Breaking the Viscious Cycle: Preserving our Liberties While Fighting Terrorism." Policy Analysis. June 26, 2002, pp. 1-21.

LInk to PDF Copy

Fri. Mar 21- Makeup Day

(WTP) Chaps 28-30

Mon. Mar 24- Spring Break/No Class

Wed. Mar 26- Spring Break/No Class 

Fri. Mar 28- Spring Break/No Class

Mon. Mar 31- The Israeli/Palestinian Dispute

Reading: Palestine and the Arab-Israeil Wars (1995)

Chapter 3 "World War I, Great Britain, and the Peace Settlements."  Link to PDF Copy
Wed. Apr 02- Terrorism

Readings: T.J. Badey (1998), "Defining Terrorism."

               M. Crenshaw (2002), Why America? The Globalization of Civil War."
Fri. Apr 04- Weapons of Mass Destruction

Reading: Jean Pascal Zanders (1999), "Assesing the Risk of Chemical and Biological Weapons Proliferation to Terrorists." Non-Porliferations Review. Fall 1999, pp. 17-34.

(Linked to PDF copy)
(WTP) Chaps 31-33

Mon. Apr 07- Modernizing the U. S. Military

Conference on World Affairs (Attend at least one session)
 

 
(DPCBA) Chap 1 and 4

Wed. Apr 9- Military Readiness

Conference on World Affairs (Attend at least one session)

(DPCBA) Chap 2

Fri. Apr 11- CWA Makeup Day: NO CLASS

Conference on World Affairs (Attend at least one session)

(WTP) Chaps 34-37

Mon. Apr 14-The Two War Framework.

(DPCBA) Chap 3

Wed. Apr 16- Guest Speaker: Dr. Jeff Larsen SAIC

NO Reading

Fri. Apr 18- Peacekeeping

Reading TBA

(WTP) Chaps 37-39

 

Mon. Apr 21- Bosnia/Kosovo Peacekeeping Case Study

RESEARCH ESSAY DUE
UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (June 10, 1999).
http://www.un.org/Docs/scres/1999/99sc1244.htm
Bernard Kouchner, ?The Challenge of Rebuilding Kosovo,? NATO Review 47:4 (Winter 1999), pp. 12-15. http://www.nato.int/docu/review/1999/9903-04.htm
Movie: How the UN failed in Bosnia
Wed. Apr 23- Nuclear Weapons in the Post-Cold War World

(USNSP) Chap 15

Fri. Apr 25- Missile Defense and Nuclear Deterrence

(DPCBA) Chap 5

(WTP) Chap 40-42

Mon. Apr 28- China and Taiwan

(DPCBA) Chap 6

Wed. Apr 30- Security in the 21st Century

(USNSP) Chap 16

(DPCBA) Chap 7

Fri. May 02- War in a Time of Peace/ Review for Final Exam.

Last day of classes

(WTP) Chaps 43-44

(USNSP) Chap 17

Sat. May 03- (10:30am-1:00pm) Final exam for 1100 section

Tue. May 06- (4:30pm-7:00pm) Final exam for 0900 section