Current Events and the U.S Diplomacy - Assignment Example

Current Events and the U.S Diplomacy The Formation of Carter’s doctrine According to Watson, Gleek & Grillo (2003), presidential doctrine is described as an ideological platform that is use by current presidents to advance and expound on policies that are important to given countries especiallythoseideologies that are related to foreign policy. In light of this, the United States utilized Carter’s doctrine in order to secure the Persian Gulf situated in Western Asia, after the country realized that the Gulf was the largest oil producing region in the world. It is worthnoting that, the Carter’s doctrine was formed as an emphasis onUnited States foreign policy after it discovered that there was Oil in the Persian Gulf, but other threats such as Soviet Union using their troops were attempting to secure the region. As such, the doctrine stipulates that United States had already declared its interest in the region (Carlsnaes, Risse-Kappen & Simmons 2013). The Cold war relationship between the United States and Afghanistan According to Barfield (2010), the relationship between the United Statesand Afghanistan dates back to the 18th century although it was officially sealed in 1921 when a treaty was signed to confirm the diplomatic relations that had begun gaining ground. However, the relations between these two countries became much strongerduring the Cold War, after the then President Turman declared that the diplomatic relations that had already started growing were going to be strengthened by the fact that senior diplomats from Afghanistan would be placed in each capital in the United States. Between 1948 and 1953, the two countries exchanged numerous diplomatic visits which greatly improved their relations. As a result, the United States began givingAfghanistan economic support in order to build infrastructure especially inmajor cities since the country had been rated as one of the poorest among the third world countries. Once the economic aspect had begun improving, theUnited States gave further support on the technical aspect,which was meant to develop skills that would later lead to a modern economy. Nevertheless, the United States declined to give Afghanistan any defense cooperation at the time. In a general sense, the end of the cold war relation between the two countries was characterized by the invasion of educated people from the United States who took over the hospitals, schools and other economic related aspects (Bacevich, 2002). Current relationship between U.S and Afghanistan Interestingly, the current relationshipbetween the U.S and Afghanistan is quite complicated especially after the United States was boomed in 2001 by Osama Bin Laden, who was thought to have come from Afghanistan. However, the two countries managed to mend their diplomatic relations after the Taliban government was over thrown and a new one electedunder President HamidKarzai. As a result, the United States decided the assist the Afghanistan by providing the country with billions of dollars for the reconstruction of Afghan National Security Forces. Bacevich (2002) articulates that the United States signed strategic partnership with Afghanistanthat was meant to resultto a long-term relationship. As a matter of fact, this strategic relation has brought about security forces from both countries coming together to intensify their skills so as to fight the alleged Al Qaeda movement who have posed security threats to both countries. Several visits have also been made between the two countries pertaining to the existing diplomatic relationship. Nevertheless, in 2013 the relation between the two countries became sour after the United States begun to lose trust in the relationship due to numerous ideological differences. Importantly,the current sphere of interest between the two countries revolves around political relationship, trade and investments and culture, which the two countries are working through. Effects of Carter’s doctrine on the regional affairs According to Cambanis (2012), the announcement of Carter’s doctrine had serious effects on regional affairs. Basically, the Carter’s doctrine revolved around the Middle East region where Carter began by elevating the crowded and contested Middle Eastern shipping so that it could meet the same level with the United States territory.According to Carter, their determination to secure the Middle East region was demonstrated by hundreds of combat troops that had toured the region as diplomats who wanted to understand the policy. However, it turned out that the United States spent billion dollars on a project that seemed to benefit the rest of the world more than the country itself. In fact, Carter is said to have demanded that those countries with interest on Oil in Middle East had to participate in securing the region over the possible threat of invasionto uphold peace and stability in the region and across the world(Cox & Stokes, 2012). Impact of Carter’s r doctrine on Afghanistan It is for undoubted reasons that Carter’s doctrine brought an influence on Afghanistan due to the existing United States policy, which wanted to prevent Afghanistan from experiencing extreme Soviet influence. As such, the United States was determined in ensuring that Soviet Union did not set its foot in Afghanistan to try and launch aggressiveactions in the region. Watson, Gleek & Grillo (2003)argue that United States was not directly interest in Afghanistan but the areas surrounding it such as the Persian Gulf which was the center of interest due to its richness in Oil. Hence, the relationship between the United States and Afghanistan during Carter’s doctrine was maintained so as the two policies namely; perception of Soviet goals in Afghanistan, and the balance of power in the region would remain intact. At the same time, the existing relations between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan did not cause any threat to the United States interest on the Persian Gulf and other related policies because the Soviet Union was seen to defend itself from regional crisis.In a general sense, the United States was capable of maintaining regional relations where necessary in order to secure any of its interests (Carlsnaes, Risse-Kappen & Simmons, 2013). References: Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bacevich, A. J. (2002). American empire: The realities and consequences of U.S. diplomacy. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Barfield, T. J. (2010). Afghanistan: A cultural and political history. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Cambanis, T.(2012). The Carter Doctrine: A middle East strategy past its prime. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/10/13/the-carter-doctrine-middle-east- strategy-past-its-prime-the-carter-doctrine-middle-east-strategy-past-it prime/xkDcRIPaE68mFbpnsUoARI/story.html Carlsnaes, W., Risse-Kappen, T., & Simmons, B. A. (2013). Handbook of international relations. London [etc.: SAGE. Cox, M., & Stokes, D. (2012). US foreign policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Watson, R. P., Gleek, C., & Grillo, M. (2003). Presidential doctrines: National security from Woodrow Wilson to George W. Bush. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Read More