MSFS-709 Nuclear Policy & International Security

Faculty:

Cirincione, Joseph

This seminar will be a real time study of the development of the overarching national security strategy of the Obama administration. There will be a heavy emphasis on nuclear weapons policy and nonproliferation strategy, and we will review the 2010 debate over Senate ratification of the new START treaty and track Senate consideration of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The course explores, in addition, a brief overview of the successes and failures of the previous administration’s strategy. We will also discuss the practical aspects of government foreign policy decision-making, including the role of Congress and the national security bureaucracy. We will not spend much time discussing Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan, as these are amply covered by other courses, but there will be discussion of Pakistan, India, Iran and North Korea.

There will be a heavy emphasis on learning the necessary skills of concise oral presentation and impact writing, such as the art of the one-page government memo and the two-minute oral presentation. Students will be expected to follow major diplomatic and regional developments in the daily and weekly media and specialized journals.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: None

Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:

• 2004-2005 Fall and Spring
• 2005-2006 Fall and Spring
• 2006-2007 Fall and Spring
• 2007-2008 Fall and Spring
• 2008-2009 Fall and Spring
• 2009-2010 Fall and Spring
• 2010-2011 Fall and Spring
• 2011-2012 Fall and Spring
• 2012-2013 Fall and Spring

More information
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