Hur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : Externa hot och idéer i Clintons och Bushs Irakpolitik

The aim of this paper is to try to explain how specific, foreign policy decisions are made, and why one state decides to use violence against another state. A qualitative method is used, and text and documents are analysed. The two theoretical points of departure are central within foreign policy an...

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Main Author: Delang, Elisabet
Format: Others
Language:Swedish
Published: Södertörns högskola, Institutionen för samhällsvetenskaper 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-3892
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spelling ndltd-UPSALLA1-oai-DiVA.org-sh-38922013-01-08T13:27:20ZHur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : Externa hot och idéer i Clintons och Bushs IrakpolitiksweHow Are Specific Foreign Policy Decisions Made? : External Threats and Ideas in Clinton´s and Bush´s Iraq PolicyDelang, ElisabetSödertörns högskola, Institutionen för samhällsvetenskaper2010BushconstructivismClintonexternal threatsforeign policy decisionsideasIraqrealismSaddam HusseinThe aim of this paper is to try to explain how specific, foreign policy decisions are made, and why one state decides to use violence against another state. A qualitative method is used, and text and documents are analysed. The two theoretical points of departure are central within foreign policy analysis: realism´s theories on external threats and constructivism´s theories on ideas´ policy influence. The empirical case chosen is the US decision to use military violence against Iraq. The paper investigates whether the real threat from Saddam Hussein´s Iraq was the cause of the American military attacks, or whether the ideas of leading politicians in the USA were decisive for the decision to invade the country. The main theoretical assumption is that politicians´ ideas – rather than real, external threats – influence their actions.  The differences between President Clinton´s benevolent Iraq policy and President Bush´s aggressive Iraq policy can be summarized as a result of a combination of a changed external environment and differences in ideas on the use of military violence. The general conclusion is that politicians´ ideas – rather than real, external threats – influence their decision-making on specific foreign policy decisions. Student thesisinfo:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesistexthttp://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-3892application/pdfinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
collection NDLTD
language Swedish
format Others
sources NDLTD
topic Bush
constructivism
Clinton
external threats
foreign policy decisions
ideas
Iraq
realism
Saddam Hussein
spellingShingle Bush
constructivism
Clinton
external threats
foreign policy decisions
ideas
Iraq
realism
Saddam Hussein
Delang, Elisabet
Hur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : Externa hot och idéer i Clintons och Bushs Irakpolitik
description The aim of this paper is to try to explain how specific, foreign policy decisions are made, and why one state decides to use violence against another state. A qualitative method is used, and text and documents are analysed. The two theoretical points of departure are central within foreign policy analysis: realism´s theories on external threats and constructivism´s theories on ideas´ policy influence. The empirical case chosen is the US decision to use military violence against Iraq. The paper investigates whether the real threat from Saddam Hussein´s Iraq was the cause of the American military attacks, or whether the ideas of leading politicians in the USA were decisive for the decision to invade the country. The main theoretical assumption is that politicians´ ideas – rather than real, external threats – influence their actions.  The differences between President Clinton´s benevolent Iraq policy and President Bush´s aggressive Iraq policy can be summarized as a result of a combination of a changed external environment and differences in ideas on the use of military violence. The general conclusion is that politicians´ ideas – rather than real, external threats – influence their decision-making on specific foreign policy decisions.
author Delang, Elisabet
author_facet Delang, Elisabet
author_sort Delang, Elisabet
title Hur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : Externa hot och idéer i Clintons och Bushs Irakpolitik
title_short Hur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : Externa hot och idéer i Clintons och Bushs Irakpolitik
title_full Hur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : Externa hot och idéer i Clintons och Bushs Irakpolitik
title_fullStr Hur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : Externa hot och idéer i Clintons och Bushs Irakpolitik
title_full_unstemmed Hur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : Externa hot och idéer i Clintons och Bushs Irakpolitik
title_sort hur fattas specifika utrikespolitiska beslut? : externa hot och idéer i clintons och bushs irakpolitik
publisher Södertörns högskola, Institutionen för samhällsvetenskaper
publishDate 2010
url http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-3892
work_keys_str_mv AT delangelisabet hurfattasspecifikautrikespolitiskabeslutexternahotochideericlintonsochbushsirakpolitik
AT delangelisabet howarespecificforeignpolicydecisionsmadeexternalthreatsandideasinclintonsandbushsiraqpolicy
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