Download Chapter 17 Outline (Teacher`s Notes)

Mr. McCormack
American Government
Central Dauphin High School
Chapter Seventeen – Foreign Policy and National Defense
I. Foreign Affairs and National Security
A. “Foreign policy” refers to those statements and actions of a national government that affect its
relations with other countries
1. Foreign affairs can be distinguished from domestic affairs, which take place inside a country
2. Foreign affairs and domestic affairs can have great influence on each other
3. A nation’s foreign policy can be observed in a variety of areas
a. Military activities
b. Aid or assistance to other countries
c. Immigration and travel policies
d. Trade and investment
e. Treaties and membership in international organizations like the UN
4. Private citizens attempting to conduct diplomacy violate federal law
B. There are two prevailing tendencies in foreign policy
1. Isolationism
a. Advocates limiting national involvement in world affairs
b. This was the prevailing tendency in American history until WWII
c. No prominent American politicians or parties are associated with this belief
2. Internationalism
a. Advocates maximizing national involvement in world affairs
b. This has been the prevailing tendency in American history since WWII
C. The Executive Branch of the federal government is primarily responsible for setting foreign policy
1. The State Department
a. Headed by the Secretary of State
i. In 2009, Hillary Clinton
ii. Nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate
iii. First ranking member of the president’s cabinet
iv. First Secretary of State – Thomas Jefferson, 1789
v. First Female Secretary of State – Madeleine Albright, 1997
vi. First African American Secretary of State – Colin Powell, 2001
b. Originally named the “Department of Foreign Affairs,” the name was changed to State
after a few months in 1789
c. This department has the primary responsibility of helping the president to develop and
conduct the nation’s foreign policy
i. The department has very few domestic responsibilities
ii. Throughout history it has overseen the census, published laws, and issued
patents, before those responsibilities were assigned to other departments
d. Organization and Components
i. The department is organized along both geographic and functional lines
1. Geographic – Bureau of African Affairs, Bureau of Near Eastern
Affairs
2. Functional – Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement,
Bureau of Consular Affairs
ii. Foreign Service
1. There are nearly 6,000 diplomats who represent the United States
2. Under international law, every state enjoys the right of legation (the
right to send and receive diplomatic representatives)
3. America’s first diplomat, Benjamin Franklin, Minister to France, was
appointed by the Continental Congress in 1778
4. America’s first “ambassador” was not appointed until 1893
iii. Ambassadors
1. Ambassadors are the official representatives of the United States
appointed by the president to conduct diplomacy
a. Ambassadors are officially known as Ambassadors
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
b. When no ambassador has been appointed, the second-incommand acts in his place and is known as the Charge d’Affaires
2. Ambassadors serve in embassies situated in their host nation’s
recognized capital
3. The United States has established embassies in more than 180 countries
4. The United States also establishes consular offices abroad
a. There are more than 120 of them established
b. They work to encourage trade, gather intelligence, advise
prospective immigrants, and aid American tourists
5. Many ambassadorships are seen as rewards for political supporters
iv. Special Diplomats
1. US Representatives to the UN and NATO are also treated like
ambassadors
2. Presidents also confer the rank of ambassador on diplomats undertaking
special assignments (attending a conference, etc.)
v. Passports
1. Certificates issued to citizens granting permission to travel abroad
2. Visas are permits to enter a country
3. The State Department issues about 8 million passports a year
4. Since the start of 2007, even Americans returning from Canada need to
display a passport
vi. Diplomatic Immunity
1. A sovereign state is supreme within their boundaries, and some of this
supremacy was attached to the personal representatives of the state even
when they traveled beyond those boundaries
2. Countries agree not to arrest or tax visiting ambassadors, who are also
immune from civil liability
3. Embassies become part of the sovereign territory of the sponsoring
nation, so they can not be searched or seized for any reason
4. Official communications, papers, and property are similarly sacrosanct
5. Ambassadors that abuse these privileges can be expelled
6. The most serious modern breach of this immunity came in 1979, when
Iranian Revolutionaries seized the American embassy and held 53
Americans for 444 days
2. The Defense Department (DoD)
a. Headed by the Secretary of Defense
i. In 2009, Robert Gates
ii. Nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate
iii. The Secretary of Defense, by law, may not have served in any active duty
branch of the armed forces in the ten years preceding his appointment
b. Formed from two previous departments, War and Navy
c. Largest federal department measured by employees
i. 1.4 million service members
ii. 700,000 civilians
d. The DoD receives about 25% of the federal budget each year
e. The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control over the military
f. The DoD headquarters are at the Pentagon
i. Largest office building in America
ii. Built in the shape of a pentagon (five-sided)
iii. Located in Virginia just outside of Washington, DC
g. Joint Chiefs of Staff
i. The five members are the heads of the four military branches and a Chairman
1. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
2. Chief of Staff of the Army
3. Chief of Naval Operations
4. Commandant of the Marine Corps
5. Air Force Chief of Staff
ii. These branch heads are the highest ranking uniform officers in the service
iii. Appointment as a branch head requires Senate confirmation
D. Military Departments
1. There are three independent military departments
a. Army
i. Largest and oldest branch of the military
ii. Established by the Continental Congress, June 14, 1775
iii. Responsible for military actions on land
iv. Three components
1. Regular Army
a. The US Army now numbers more than 500,000 personnel
b. During the Cold War there were more than 700,000 personnel
c. Women now serve in most army occupations
2. Army Reserves
3. Army National Guard
a. Every state’s National Guard units serve two missions – state
and federal
b. Unlike previous wars, the National Guard now plays a major
combat role in the Global War on Terror
b. Navy
i. Established by the Continental Congress, October 13, 1775
ii. Responsible for sea warfare
iii. Today numbers around 435,000 personnel
c. Air Force
i. Existed as part of the Army from 1907 to 1947
ii. Responsible for air and aerospace operations
iii. Today numbers around 360,000 personnel
d. Each is led by a civilian Secretary, appointed by the President
2. Two other branches of the military exist
a. Marines
i. Located in the department of the Navy
ii. Established by the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775
iii. Today includes some 170,000 personnel
iv. Responsible for land operations essential to naval campaigns
b. Coast Guard
i. Located in the department of Homeland Security
ii. The President may direct that the Coast Guard become part of the Navy,
especially in time of war
iii. Today includes around 35,000 personnel
iv. Responsible for patrolling the territorial waters of the United States
1. Counter-drug and counter-smuggling activities
2. Rescue operations
3. Border security
II. Other Foreign and Defense Agencies
A. Many agencies also contribute to national security and defense
1. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA, “the agency”)
a. Established by Congress in 1947
b. Works under the direction of the National Security Council
c. Led by a Director that is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate
d. Three major tasks
i. Coordinate the foreign information-gathering activities of all federal agencies
ii. Analyze and evaluate all data collected by those agencies
iii. Brief the president and National Security Council on that intelligence
e. Espionage Activities
i. Much intelligence may be gathered from open sources like newspapers, radio
broadcasts, etc.
ii. The CIA gathers other intelligence through secret, covert operations
f. The budget of the CIA is largely disguised, so even Congress has only a vague idea
about its operations
g. Laws prohibit the CIA from conducting any investigation, surveillance, or other
clandestine activities within the United States
2. Department of Homeland Security
a. Created by Congress in 2002 by combining agencies from other departments
i. Secret Service (Treasury)
ii. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Treasury)
iii. Coast Guard (Transportation)
iv. Transportation Security Administration (Transportation)
v. Immigration and Naturalization Service (Justice)
vi. Federal Emergency Management Agency (independent)
b. Charged with protecting the United States from acts of terrorism
c. Responsible five main functions
i. Border and transportation security
ii. Infrastructure protection
iii. Emergency preparedness and response
iv. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense
v. Information analysis
d. The challenge facing the department is enormous
i. 600,000 bridges
ii. 170,000 water systems
iii. 2,000 power plants (104 nuclear ones)
iv. 220,000 miles of railroad tracks
v. 190,000 miles of natural gas pipelines
vi. 25,000 miles of waterways
vii. 1,000 harbor channels
viii. 463 skyscrapers over 500 feet tall
ix. 19,000 airports
x. 20,000 miles of border
xi. Food supply
xii. Healthcare system
xiii. Communications network
3. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
a. Independent agency created by Congress in 1958
b. Mission includes exploration of space and basic research
c. NASA has been directed to work for peaceful as well as military purposes
d. Manned space flight
i. Began during the space race with the Soviet Union
ii. Most spectacular moment – Moon Landing, July 20, 1969
iii. Set back by Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003) shuttle disasters
iv. Currently pursuing International Space Station
v. Plans are being made for a Mars mission in the near future
B. Selective Service System
1. The modern military relies on voluntary enlistments to fill the ranks
2. Through much of history, especially in time of war, the US relied on conscription
a. Several colonies (later nine states) passed laws requiring able-bodied men to serve in
the militia
b. Congress rejected such a law in the 1790s
c. Limited conscription programs were used during the Civil War
d. First major draft was in 1917, for WWI
i. Selective Service Act of 1917
ii. More than 2.8 million of the 4.7 million who served were drafted
e. Second major draft ran from 1940 to 1947
i. Selective Service and Training Act of 1940
ii. First peace-time draft in American history
iii. More than 10 million of the 16.3 million who served were drafted
f. Third major draft ran from 1948 to 1973
i. Selective Service Act of 1948
ii. Nearly 5 million men were drafted to fight in Korea and Vietnam
3. Although the draft has been suspended since 1973, the law is still in force and could be
revived
a. Only males between 18.5 and 26 years of age are currently subject to a draft
b. The law is administered by local selective service boards
c. Failure to register by your 18th birthday can result in penalties
4. Only an act of Congress could revive the draft
5. The Supreme Court has found the draft to be constitutional (1918, 1981)
III. American Foreign Policy Overview
A. From Independence to WWI
1. Isolationism more or less prevailed in American foreign policy for about 150 years
a. Although Americans traded and traveled abroad, the government was more interested
in expanding in North America than in becoming entangled in world affairs
b. Early presidents like Washington and Jefferson, realizing the nation’s military
weakness, cautioned against becoming too concerned with foreign affairs
2. Monroe Doctrine
a. Announced to Congress in 1823
b. Designed to protect newly independent countries in South America from recolonization by Europe
c. The Monroe Doctrine was enforced more by the British Navy than by the United States
for most of the nineteenth century
3. Continental Expansion
a. Opportunities for westward expansion were guaranteed to the newly independent states
by the Treaty of Paris in 1783
i. Many American settlers had already moved into the frontiers of the “Old
Northwest Territory”
ii. Only Native Americans contested the US claim to the area south of the Great
Lakes
b. Jefferson doubled the size of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803
c. Spanish Florida was purchased in 1819
d. Texas was annexed in 1845
e. Oregon Territory was split with Great Britain in 1846
f. The Southwest was ceded by Mexico after a brief war, in 1848
g. The Gadsden Purchase (part of New Mexico and Arizona) occurred in 1853
h. Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867
i. At the time it was considered worthless territory
1. Seward’s Folly
2. Seward’s Icebox
ii. Price: $7.2 million
i. A French attempt to install a puppet emperor in Mexico was defeated in 1867
j. Most Americans believed it was their “Manifest Destiny” to rule an empire that spread
across the continent, connecting both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean
4. World Power
a. Commodore Matthew Perry convinced the Japanese to open trade with the US in 1853
b. The Spanish American War established the US as a first-class power in 1898
c. Captured Spanish territory included Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam
d. Cuba gained its independence with a promise of American protection
e. Hawaii was annexed in 1898
f. The United States insisted on the Open Door Policy in China in 1899
i. Instead of dividing the country into zones of control, every country would have
equal access to its trade
ii. All of the other colonial powers agreed to let the Chinese retain control over
their territory
iii. One consequence of this policy was a worsening of relations between Japan
and the United States
g. The United States began to intervene to ensure stability in Latin America
i. Suppress revolutions, injuries to foreign nationals, and pay debts
ii. Marines invaded Nicaragua, Haiti, and Cuba
iii. This policy was called the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
h. The United States’ forces supported Panama’s revolt from Colombia in 1903 after
failing to secure rights to build a canal from Colombia
i. The United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark to help guard the canal
in 1917
j. FDR instituted the “Good Neighbor Policy” to try to win friends among the resentful
Latin Americans
k. The Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Pact) of 1947 recommitted
the USA to fighting foreign influence in the Western Hemisphere
B. World War I and the Return to Isolationism
1. American sympathies for the Allies and German provocations compelled the United States to
enter WWI
2. President Wilson claimed we fought to make the world safe for democracy
3. The terrible toll of WWI convinced many Americans of the need to withdraw from European
(world) problems
4. The Depression reinforced many Americans’ belief in focusing on domestic problems
5. The rise of Fascists, Communists, and other totalitarian regimes were perceived as distant,
tolerable threats for most of the inter-war period
C. WWII
1. WWII began when Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939
2. The United States joined the fighting of WWII after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on
December 7, 1941
3. The US became the “arsenal of democracy” and provided much of the material needed for the
Allied war effort
4. This war was portrayed as an ideological struggle of freedom versus totalitarianism
D. Collective Security
1. After the war ended, the United States promoted Collective Security to prevent future wars
a. The United Nations was created in 1945 to promote peaceful conflict resolution
b. NATO became the collective security bloc for democratic governments, and the
Warsaw Pact became the collective security bloc for communist ones
2. The end of the Cold War has not diminished the United States’ efforts to promote collective
security
E. Deterrence
1. The United States endeavors to deter aggression by maintaining the world’s most powerful
military
2. Some theorize that the mighty military-industrial complex actually makes conflict more likely,
with the US playing a more aggressive role
3. A new twist on deterrence is preemptive war – eliminate threats before an attack
F. Containment
1. After WWII, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in an historic ideological
conflict – the Cold War
2. The United States promoted capitalism and democracy against communism
a. President Truman initiated massive aid programs to save western Europe from
Communist influence
i. The Truman Doctrine – The US will support any free people in resisting
subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures
ii. Western Europe, Greece, and Turkey all remained free
b. Soviet attempts to subjugate West Berlin by blockade were defeated by the Berlin
Airlift (1948-1949)
3. It was believed that communism would collapse if it could be “contained” in its present
borders
4. Korean War
a. After WWII, Korea remained split between a communist North and non-communist
South
b. North Korea attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950, and nearly conquered it
c. The UN called on all members to defend South Korea, and the US led a multi-national
force in doing so
d. After more than three years, a stalemate between the two sides resulted in a cease-fire
that is still in effect
5. Cuban Crisis
a. The Cuban Revolution pushed that country into the Soviet sphere of influence
b. The Soviets began installing nuclear missiles on the island
c. Kennedy ordered a blockade to prevent completion of the missile sites
d. The US and USSR came very close to a nuclear exchange, but the Soviets agreed to
remove their missiles if the US removed theirs from Turkey
6. Vietnam War
a. After WWII, Vietnam reverted to French control, sparking a guerilla war
b. After a French withdrawal in 1954, Vietnam was split into a communist North and
non-communist South
c. A civil war in South Vietnam, fostered by the North and (alternately) China and the
USSR, eventually brought increasing American involvement
d. American withdrawal in 1973 condemned South Vietnam, which fell in 1975
7. Détente and the Return to Containment
a. After Vietnam, the United States began to try to relax relations with the USSR and
China
b. President Nixon opened a new era in relations by visiting both countries
c. Détente ended with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979
8. The End of the Cold War
a. Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the USSR in 1985
b. Ronald Reagan worked with Gorbachev to improve relations
c. After experimenting with several reforms, Gorbachev was overthrown by hard-line
communists in 1991
d. The collapse of that coup brought the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold
War
E. Global War on Terror
1. No single global threat really focused America’s attention through the 1990s
2. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 initiated the Global War on Terror
3. President George W. Bush has cast that war, now being waged in Iraq and Afghanistan, as a
conflict between freedom and oppression
4. Other potential problems exist in dealing with state sponsors of terror like Iran and Syria, and
with nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea
IV. Foreign Aid and Defense Alliances
A. Foreign Aid
1. American aid to other countries may be either economic or military
2. Aiding other countries has been a basic feature of our foreign policy for more than 60 years
a. Lend-Lease provided nearly $50 billion worth of material to our allies in WWII
i. Food
ii. Munitions (weapons and ammunition)
iii. Other supplies
b. Significant aid was sent to Greece and Turkey starting in 1947
c. The Marshall Plan helped to rebuild Western Europe after WWII
i. Program lasted from 1948 to 1952
ii. Named after Secretary of State George C. Marshall
iii. $12.5 billion was sent to 16 nations
3. The major beneficiaries today are countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America
4. Most aid goes to those areas deemed most important to American national interest
a. Israel
b. Egypt
c. Philippines
5. Most foreign aid money must be used to buy American goods and services, thus creating
demand for American products and thus stimulates the American economy
B. Security Alliances
1. The US has constructed a number of alliances over the years that are based on mutual defense
2. NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization
a. Created by the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949
b. Originally consisting of twelve nations, the alliance now has 24 members
i. Original members – Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States
ii. Greece and Turkey joined in 1952
iii. West Germany joined in 1955 (later merged with East Germany in 1990)
iv. Spain joined in 1982
v. Poland, Hungary, and Czech Republic joined in 1999
vi. Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined
in 2004
c. Originally created to counter Soviet expansion, the alliance has found a new purpose in
countering situations that could destabilize Europe or pose a humanitarian disaster
i. NATO’s first post-Cold War mission was to manage the break-up of
Yugoslavia
ii. NATO now controls much of the occupation of Afghanistan
3. Rio Pact
a. Established by the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance in 1947
b. Formed of the United States, Canada, and 34 Latin American countries
4. Pacts in the Pacific Region
a. ANZUS Pact
i. Agreement between Australia, New Zealand, and the US since 1951
ii. Guarantees the safety of the Pacific region
b. Japanese Pact
i. Bilateral agreement between Japan and the US
ii. US protects Japan in exchange for military bases in Japan
c. Philippines Pact
i. Bilateral agreement between the Philippines and the US
ii. Disagreements between the two countries led to the withdrawal of all American
forces in 1992, but the agreement technically still stands
d. Korean Pact
i. Between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the US
ii. US has pledged to protect South Korea since 1953
e. Taiwan Pact
i. The US promised to protect Taiwan between 1954 and 1980
ii. Although the US now deals more with mainland China and this pact has been
abrogated, the US remains committed to protecting Taiwan
5. The United States does not have any regional alliances in the Middle East
a. The US is torn between its need for Arab oil and its sympathies for Israel
i. The US supported Israel in its four wars (1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973)
ii. The US has attempted to broker peace between Israel, its neighbors, and the
Palestinians
iii. The US has cultivated close ties with regimes in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia,
and the Gulf states
b. The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 has worsened its relations with the Arab states
C. The United Nations
1. Established after WWII, the United States played a leading role in founding the UN
a. The US realized that its failure to participate in the League of Nations after WWI had
undermined its significance
b. The US hosted the first UN conference in San Francisco in 1945
c. The United States was the first country to ratify the UN Charter, the treaty that created
the UN
2. The UN Charter
a. Establishes the purpose of the UN
i. Maintain international peace and security
ii. Develop friendly relations between all nations
iii. Promote justice and cooperation to solve problems
b. Establishes six principal organs of the UN
i. General Assembly
ii. Security Council
iii. Economic and Social Council
iv. Trusteeship Council
v. International Court of Justice
vi. Secretariat
c. The UN Charter went into effect on October 24, 1945
3. The General Assembly
a. Known as the “town meeting of the world,” the General Assembly is an arena where
every member nation’s voice can be heard on an equal basis as every other’s
b. Today there are 191 members
c. The first meeting of the General Assembly was held in London on January 10, 1946
d. The General Assembly today meets in the UN Building in New York City
e. The General Assembly meets once a year, in September, unless circumstances warrant
a special session
f. The General Assembly may debate any matter within the scope of the charter that isn’t
being considered by the Security Council
g. Recommendations of the General Assembly are not legally binding on any nation
h. The General Assembly elects members to other bodies in the UN
i. Ten non-permanent members of the Security Council
ii. 54 members of the Economic and Social Council
iii. Members of the Trusteeship Council
i. The General Assembly, in conjunction with the Security Council, elects the Secretary
General and the 15 judges of the International Court of Justice
j. The General Assembly, in conjunction with the Security Council, admits, suspends, or
expels members
k. The General Assembly alone has the power to amend the UN Charter
4. The Security Council
a. The Security Council has 15 members
i. Five permanent members – China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, USA
ii. Ten rotating members elected by the General Assembly
1. These members hold two year terms
2. A member may not serve consecutive terms
iii. Many nations (Germany, Japan, India, Brazil, etc.) lobby for expanding the
ranks of permanent Security Council members
b. The Security Council has the main responsibility for preserving the peace
i. Security Council can place economic sanctions or authorize military action
against threats to world peace
ii. The Security Council has only authorized military action once – Korean War
iii. The Security Council oversees peace-keeping operations
c. The permanent members (“Big Five”) wield veto power over important matters, so the
Security Council can only act if all of them are in agreement
5. Other UN Bodies
a. Economic and Social Council
i. 54 members, elected by the General Assembly, serve three year terms
ii. Coordinates the work of 14 specialized agencies
1. WHO – World Health Organization
2. ILO – International Labour Organization
3. IMF – International Monetary Fund
4. World Bank – International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
5. IFAD – International Fund for Agricultural Development
6. FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization
7. UNIDO – United Nations Industrial Development Organization
8. ICAO – International Civil Aviation Organization
9. IMO – International Maritime Organization
10. ITU – International Telecommunications Union
11. UPU – Universal Postal Union
12. WIPO – World Intellectual Property Organization
13. WMO – World Meteorological Organization
14. UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization
b. Trusteeship Council
i. Oversees “non-self-governing territories”
ii. Few territories exist as most colonies gained their independence after WWII
c. International Court of Justice (ICJ)
i. ICJ has 15 judges elected to 9 year terms
ii. Located at the Peace Palace in the Hague, Netherlands
iii. Offers advisory legal opinions, but enforcement is up to the Security Council
d. The Secretariat
i. The Civil Service branch of the UN
1. Approximately 9,000 employees
2. The UN has suffered lately under massive corruption scandals
ii. Led by the Secretary General, of which there have been eight
1. Trigve Lie (Norway, 1946-1953)
2. Dag Hammarskjold (Sweden, 1953-1961)
3. U Thant (Burma, 1962-1972)
4. Kurt Waldheim (Austria, 1972-1982)
5. Javier Perez de Cuellar (Peru, 1982-1992)
6. Boutros Boutros Ghali (Egypt, 1992-1997)
7. Kofi Annan (Ghana, 1997-2007)
8. Ban Ki-moon (South Korea, 2007-Present)
iii. Secretary Generals are elected to five-year terms, and the post rotates between
regions of the world
iv. The Secretary General may refer any matter to the Security Council
v. The Secretary General prepares the biennial budget for the UN
1. 2005-2006, operating budget of about $2.5 billion (not including peacekeeping and other special costs)
2. Member-states share the cost of the UN in rough proportion to their
ability to pay
3. Many member-states, including the US, are frequently in arrears in
paying their dues
6. The Work of the UN
a. Peace Keeping
i. Member-states offer the services of their militaries to pacify trouble spots
ii. Today there are some 16 such missions employing about 67,000 peace keepers
from more than 100 countries
b. Development assistance amounts to about $4 billion a year, not including loans
c. UNICEF and the WHO immunize millions against major diseases and lead efforts
against AIDS
d. Host environmental conferences
e. Promote human rights
i. 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (aspirational, not actual)
ii. Sponsored more than 80 treaties to protect specific rights