The President s National Security Policy Essay - 1499 Words

According to the Article II of the US Constitution, the president is the highest political figure empowered with key executive powers such as the head of state, and commander-in-chief among others. The president sits at the epicenter of the US foreign policy establishments. His ability to pursue national security policy priorities depends on the quality and efficacy of decisions emanating from the existing decision-making models. The models reflect on multiplicity of values, goals, and interests through an interagency process of consensus building of several bureaucratic organizations. Rational decision model critical to identify and prioritize national security policy objectives; develop and evaluate alternatives against the objectives; select tentative decision from the most appropriate alternatives, implement and evaluate the policy to prevent undesirable consequences. The American system of government creates various constraining factors that exert significant pressure, directly and indirectly, towards the decision-making processes of the national security policies. Hence, this paper seeks to evaluate the factors that most severely constrain a president’s ability to pursue his national security priorities; with recommendations on how best, the president can reduce the effects stemming from these factors. Considering the political model of decision-making process, the US president is undoubtedly not an independent decision maker. The structure of the US political systemShow MoreRelatedThe American Political System Is Defined As A Constitutional Democracy1228 Words   |  5 Pagesthe country. The President is a head of executive branch, who offers bills to the Congress, enforces federal laws, controls foreign policy, serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and with the approval of the Senate, makes treaties and appoints secretaries (ministers). 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