Formulation of American Foreign Policy

American foreign relations are determined through a series of complex policy-making decisions. In the analysis preliminary to a policy decision the external environment, the broad objectives of our foreign policy, and the means available for its implementation must be evaluated, interrelated, and ap praised. This analysis is but one of the stages leading to the final conduct of foreign affairs. Enlisting the support and re sources for a specific policy and the operation or execution of that policy are two further distinguishable stages. Though in the normal order they would follow the policy decision, they too must be predicted and appraised in the original analysis and thus also affect the outcome of the actual policy. To cope with the difficult task of formulating foreign policy, several government organizations were created after World War II: The Department of Defense, the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Policy Planning Staff of the Department of State. This policy-making machinery has greatly enhanced United States capacity for coping with the complex process of foreign affairs, but its operation can and should be further improved.—Ed.