Presidential Foreign Policy Toward Russia

Subject: Presidential Foreign Policy toward Russia Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton and Bush Jr.

President Nixon idea of linkage with the Soviet Union was to show Russia the economic and social benefits of having a good relationship with the United States. The results were the signing of The Helsinki Agreement. The Helsinki Agreement committed the power to protect human rights of all citizens.

President Carter foreign policy goal was the protection of human rights. During the Carter administration the Soviet Union started to increase their influence in Somalia, Yemen, Ethiopia and Southern Africa, when Russia sent troops into Afghanistan with the intention of extending power into the Persian Gulf Carter Doctrine was promulgated to deter such a move. Carter Doctrine stated the United States would use military power if necessary. The Carter administration campaigned for SALT II that would place limitations on arms, but could not get it pass congress.

President Reagan foreign policy toward the Soviet Union was one of harsh rhetoric referring to the Soviet Union as an "evil empire". In order to show the Soviet Union the strength of the United States, the United States began a military build up that looked like a new arms race. President Reagan introduced the nuclear-tipped cruise missile. The Reagan administration adopted a more activist stance in the third world, posturing an in your face attitude toward the Soviet Union.

President Bush Sr. foreign policy with the Soviet Union was one of appeasement (go along to get along). During President Bush's administration the United States and the Soviet Union did act together when Kuwait was invaded, that was a first. The joint cooperation called for an embargo by the United Nation (UN), sanctions were imposed including an oil embargo of Iraqi and Kuwaiti oil.

When President Clinton came to office there was no clear- cut foreign policy between the United Stated and Russia. The collapse of the Soviet Empire had left a void to be filled. The end of the cold war resolved some of the international problems but created others. The United States was seen as the only world superpower. President Clinton came to office at a time when Russia's economy was in crisis. The Soviet nuclear arsenal was sent to four new countries Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus with no safe guards. The Clinton administration goal was to dismantle nuclear weapon stockpiles within the former Soviet Union. Clinton's foreign policy team considered the dismantling project to be urgent because the control of the Soviet arsenal of tactical weapons were scattered among local military commanders.

The president of each country signed the United States, Russian-Ukraine Trilateral Statement and Annex. The United States and Russia strategic missiles would no longer be aimed at each other. The Clinton policy of disarmament and democracy and a joint belief in open market forged a relationship based on cautious trust. In 1974 only one of four independent countries was democratic, by the end of Clinton's first term two of four independent countries