Poli 378 - American National Security Policy
Lecture Outline - Spring 2009
Lecture Outline
The following is an outline of the major subjects to be covered in the
lectures, and the reading from the texts associated with each set of lectures.
Specific reading assignments will be announced in lecture. Note
that Haass will be read in conjunction with written assignments.
- Introduction.
Overview of current challenges to US national security; the use of
force in national security policy.
- The People and The Organizations
The defense bureaucracy, the quantity and quality of the people in
the military, and the civilian leadership inside the executive branch,
Congress; public opinion.
- Low Intensity Conflict (LIC)
Uses of the military that involve low levels of force or in non-traditional
roles, including the military's role in the fight against terrorism.
- Weapons of Mass Destruction
Strategic nuclear weapons: the strategies,
and arsenals. How to calculate the destructive ability of weapons. Other
weapons of mass destruction. The role of arms control and anti-proliferation
policy in national security policy. The problems. Current and future prospects,
including ballistic missile defense (BMD).
- "The Next War?" - Heavy Conventional
Warfare
The use of heavy (mechanized and armored) ground forces along with airpower.
Does this type of warfare have a future outside of Europe? Logistics.
- "Lighter" Conventional War: From
the Seas
Emphasis is on the role of the Navy and Marine Corps. Recent military conflicts.
- Prospects for the Future
New weapons? New threats? What should we do?