Presidents often assemble ad hoc groups of advisers to help them make decisions during foreign policy crises. These advisers may include the holders of the traditional foreign policy positions--secretaries of state and defense--as well as others from within and without the executive branch. It has never been clear what role these groups play in the development of policy. In this landmark study, Patrick Haney examines how these crisis decision groups were structured and how they performed the tasks of providing information, advice, and analysis to the president. From this, Haney investigates...

U.S. Foreign Policy: Back to the Water's Edge is based on the old idea that despite domestic differences and party politics, Americans should unite "at the water's edge" and present a cohesive front to a hostile world. The fifth edition explores this theme through coverage of the Trump administration, its early policies, and how Trump's initiatives fit into the broader historical patterns of foreign policy in the United States. More compact than most of its competitors, the fifth edition packs necessary information and concepts into a lean but readable format. It contains rich historical...