Angel's Holden Research

Introduction

Public opinion is important because it drives foreign policy. The popularity or lack thereof of an elected leader’s decision on different policies, especially foreign policy, can mean life or death at the polls. Thus there will be, on the part of any elected official or political appointee, a definite reluctance to offend popular sentiments in foreign policy decision-making.

It is vital to know the extent to which popular opinion overshadows legal and practical restraints on action in the foreign policy arena. Public opinion is just one of the ingredients that go into the decision-making process. However, it would be useful to attain a greater understanding of how this crucial component interacts with other concerns as government leaders make decisions that affect the nation and the world.

This information would be of interest to any voter or politician seeking office, especially members and leaders of activist groups that seek to mobilize public opinion in support of their group’s foreign policy goals.

Print Sources

Bailey, Thomas Andrew. 1902- The Man in the Street: the Impact of American Public Opinion on Foreign Policy. New York: Macmillan, 1948. Call number: Davis E183.7 .B33

Sobel, Richard. 1949- The Impact of Public Opinion on U.S. Foreign Policy Since Vietnam : Constraining the Colossus. New York : Oxford University Press, 2001. Call number: Davis E744. S747 2001

Non-paper Source

France, Chuck. The War at Home. Glenn Silber/ Barry Alexander Brown. 100 min. Catalyst Films/ Madison Film Production Company, 1984. Videocassette.

Electronic Indexes and Databases:

Burk, James. “The New American Interventionism.” In Columbia International Affairs Online [Database Online] Demetrios James Caraley (ed.) Columbia University Press 1999. [26 January 2003]. Available from Political Science Quaterly.

Campaign & Elections. “Serbian War Activates Voters.” In Lexis Nexis Academic [Database online]. Campaigns & Elections, Inc., June 1999. [31 January 2003]. 614 words. Available from Inside Politics Holsti, Ole R. “Public Opinion on

Holsti, Ole R. "Public Opinion on Human Rights in American Foreign Policy.” In Columbia International Affairs Online [Database online]. [31 January 2003]. Available from American Diplomacy, Vol. I, No. 1, September 1996.

Kirschenbaum, Jill. “From the Baselines to the Frontlines.” In Lexis Nexis Academic [database online] Media Central Inc, February 1999. [31 January 2003] 448 words. Available from American Demographics.

Solomon, Norman. “Polls: When Measuring is Manipulating.” In Policy File [Database online] [26 January 2003]. Available from Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting's Web Site.

Wittkopf, Eugene R. “What Americans Really Think About Foreign Policy.” InLexis Nexis Academic [Database online]. The Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. [31 January 2003]. 5594 words. Available from The Washington Quarterly Vol. 19, No. 3; Pg. 89, Summer 1996.

Web Sources

Title of Web page: Bridging Gaps in the Study of Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy
Web Address: http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/AD_Issues/7amdipl.html
Brief Description: Discusses the interaction between the press, public opinion and foreign policy
Source of Web site: American Diplomacy: An Electronic Journal of Commentary, Analysis, and Research on American Foreign Policy and it’s Practice

Title of Web page: The “CNN Effect:” T.V. and Foreign Policy
Web Address: http://www.cdi.org/adm/834/transcript.html
Brief Description: Describes how the news affects public opinion and then how those polls affect the decisions of foreign-policy makers. Source of Web site: The Center for Defense Information

Title of Web page: Lobbying Congress: A Key Way U.S. Citizens Impact Foreign Policy
Web Address: http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itps/0300/ijpe/pj51eric.htm
Brief Description: Describes the importance of voting and public opinion on foreign policy decisions.
Source of Web site: U.S. Department of State

Title of Web page: Arab Public Opinion and U.S. Foreign Policy: A Complex Encounter
Web Address: http://www.ceip.org/files/Publications/
Brief Description: Describes how Arabs reacted, switching support to different political parties, to policy decisions affecting them. Showed how this then, in the long-run affects foreign policy.
Source of Web site: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Title of Web page: Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick
Web Address: http://www.duke.edu/~gelpi/veterans.6-02.doc
Brief Description: Describes how veterans opinions compared to civilian opinions affect foreign policy.
Source of Web site: Duke University: Peter D. Feaver Associate Professor of Political Science

Cyber-cops Combat New Type of Crime

In the wake of September 11th media attention has focused on terrorists with guns, box cutters and shoe-bombs. But experts say a new type of threat has arisen, one that aims straight at the heart of American business and economy.

Ronald L. Dick, head of the National Infrastructure Protection Center, testified before the House Committee on Governmental Reform that there is a need forprotection of America’s information infrastructure. According to Dick, 90 percent of respondents of a recent survey indicated they detected computer security breaches in the last 12 months. (1)

The threat of cyber terrorism is especially critical to a nation that’s banking, defense, transportation and law enforcement systems depend on computer networks. “Our work here is vitally important because the stakes involved are enormous,” reported Dick. (1)

Critical systems are often vulnerable to electronic access and attack. In 1999 NATO computers were inundated with email bombs and denial of service attacks from activists seeking to protest the bombings. The Department of Defense found in 1997 the power grid and 911 systems could be damaged by cyber terrorists using tools publicly available on the web. (2)

To combat this rising threat, the federal government has started programs such as InfraGard, which is a nationwide partnership between the government and the private sector to further the goal of infrastructure protection. InfraGard helps agencies and businesses share information and expertise about cyber intrusions and the damage they cause.

Sources
(1)Ronald L. Dick, “Cyber Terrorism and Critical Infrasturcture Protection.” [Web page]. Washington, D.C. Federal Bureau of Investigation, 24 July 2002. 2 February 2003. Available from Yahoo: http://www.fbi.gov/congress/congress02/nipc072402.htm.

(2) Dorothy E. Denning, “Cyberterrorism: Testimony Before the Special Oversight Panel On Terrorism Committee on Armed Services, U.S. House of Representatives.” [Web page]. Washington, D.C. Georgetown University, 23 May 2000. 2 February 2003. Available from Yahoo:http://www.cs.georgetown.edu/~denning/infosec/cyberterror.html.

Title of Web Page: Cyberterrorism Resource Center
Web address: http://www.globaldisaster.org/cyberterrorescen.shtml.
Brief Description: Collection of links, papers and government resources dealing with computer terrorism.
Source of Web Site: The Global Community Center

Title of Web Page: The Truth About Cyberterrorism
Web address: http://www.cio.com/archive/031502/truth.html.
Brief Description: Magazine article discussing the threat of cyberterroism.
Source of Web Site: CIO Magazine

Title of Web Page: Combating Cyberterrorism
Web address: http:/www.news.com/2009-1023-958333.html
Brief Description: Web page discussing Bush’s computer security plan.
Source of Web Site: News.com