The chapters in this document are displayed in reversed order, with the last chapter
appearing first. This change ensures all chapters are included in the test bank.
Complete Chapters Included
Foreign and National Defense
Policies
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Unlike in domestic policymaking, the president and executive branch play a far greater role in
setting foreign policy than does __________.
a. the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
b. the Secretary of Defense
c. Congress
d. the national security advisor
Answer: c
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
2. The participation of ordinary citizens in foreign affairs is diminished by which of the following?
a. the sheer complexity of foreign affairs
b. a constitutional prohibition on citizen involvement
c. America’s strong support for free market and trade
d. the powerful effects that foreign policy has on the life of citizens
Answer: a
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
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,3. Which of the following statements about foreign policy is accurate?
a. The factors that influence foreign policy are completely unknown.
b. The factors that influence foreign policy are constantly in flux.
c. The factors that influence foreign policy are static.
d. The factors that influence foreign policy are stable and enduring.
Answer: b
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
4. Which of the following is one way the public factors into American foreign policy?
a. Congress receives top-secret military briefings from time to time that they’re authorized to release
to their constituents.
b. Military and security departments make all of their deliberations available for public comment.
c. Non-government public advisory boards regularly meet with senior security and military officials
and can present their concerns during those meetings.
d. A president might make a different foreign policy decision if the consequences likely would
negatively impact the American public.
Answer: d
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
5. Which of the following best describes the state of U.S. military power today?
a. No other country can surpass U.S. military power, and no other countries are making any efforts
to try.
b. The U.S. military is unsurpassed in a range of areas, even though other states, such as China and
Russia, are making attempts to close the gaps.
c. The United States enjoys a secure position in terms of naval and air power, but the Chinese land
forces are stronger and better trained than the American forces.
d. The economic collapse and the subsequent reductions in the U.S. military budget have allowed
the Chinese to effectively negate any advantages in military power held by the United States.
Answer: b
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
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,Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Structural Foundations of America’s Superpower Status
Learning Objective: 18.2 Examine the foundations of America’s status as a world superpower.
6. Forces that use tactics such as roadside bombs and cyber warfare against an opponent with
superior conventional military capabilities are said to be engaging in what type of warfare?
a. asymmetric
b. conditional
c. bimodal
d. conventional
Answer: a
Topic: Structural Foundations of America’s Superpower Status
Learning Objective: 18.2 Examine the foundations of America’s status as a world superpower.
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
7. Foreign policy experts and political leaders claim that a dominant global power, or ________, is
required to maintain the stability of the international system.
a. stabilizer
b. balancer
c. hegemon
d. superpower
Answer: c
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Strategic Goals for American Foreign Policy
Learning Objective: 18.3 Assess the goals and strategies of American foreign and national defense
policies.
8. Regarding nuclear weapons, where has the United States seen the most success in its policy goals?
a. reducing the number of nuclear warheads deployed
b. slowing the arms race with the Soviet Union and its successor Russia
c. preventing the deployment of nuclear weapons in India
d. closing down the North Korean nuclear weapons program
Answer: b
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Topic: Problems of the Post-Cold War World
Learning Objective: 18.4 Evaluate problems facing the United States in the post–Cold War world.
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, 9. Who among the following is most likely to have the greatest influence over U.S. foreign policy?
a. secretary of state
b. director of the National Security Agency
c. Director of National Intelligence
d. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Answer: a
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
10. The Department of Defense is primarily responsible for which of the following?
a. ensuring homeland security
b. implementing military policy
c. developing a comprehensive trade policy
d. advising the president about national security threats
Answer: b
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
11. In recent years, there has been growing support in the United States for a more __________
foreign policy that argues for reducing involvement in the affairs of other countries and international
institutions.
a. hegemonic
b. multilateral
c. diplomatic
d. isolationist
Answer: d
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Topic: Strategic Goals for American Foreign Policy
Learning Objective: 18.3 Assess the goals and strategies of American foreign and national defense
policies.
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Copyright © 2026
appearing first. This change ensures all chapters are included in the test bank.
Complete Chapters Included
Foreign and National Defense
Policies
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Unlike in domestic policymaking, the president and executive branch play a far greater role in
setting foreign policy than does __________.
a. the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
b. the Secretary of Defense
c. Congress
d. the national security advisor
Answer: c
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
2. The participation of ordinary citizens in foreign affairs is diminished by which of the following?
a. the sheer complexity of foreign affairs
b. a constitutional prohibition on citizen involvement
c. America’s strong support for free market and trade
d. the powerful effects that foreign policy has on the life of citizens
Answer: a
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
263
Copyright © 2026
,3. Which of the following statements about foreign policy is accurate?
a. The factors that influence foreign policy are completely unknown.
b. The factors that influence foreign policy are constantly in flux.
c. The factors that influence foreign policy are static.
d. The factors that influence foreign policy are stable and enduring.
Answer: b
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
4. Which of the following is one way the public factors into American foreign policy?
a. Congress receives top-secret military briefings from time to time that they’re authorized to release
to their constituents.
b. Military and security departments make all of their deliberations available for public comment.
c. Non-government public advisory boards regularly meet with senior security and military officials
and can present their concerns during those meetings.
d. A president might make a different foreign policy decision if the consequences likely would
negatively impact the American public.
Answer: d
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
5. Which of the following best describes the state of U.S. military power today?
a. No other country can surpass U.S. military power, and no other countries are making any efforts
to try.
b. The U.S. military is unsurpassed in a range of areas, even though other states, such as China and
Russia, are making attempts to close the gaps.
c. The United States enjoys a secure position in terms of naval and air power, but the Chinese land
forces are stronger and better trained than the American forces.
d. The economic collapse and the subsequent reductions in the U.S. military budget have allowed
the Chinese to effectively negate any advantages in military power held by the United States.
Answer: b
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
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Copyright © 2026
,Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Structural Foundations of America’s Superpower Status
Learning Objective: 18.2 Examine the foundations of America’s status as a world superpower.
6. Forces that use tactics such as roadside bombs and cyber warfare against an opponent with
superior conventional military capabilities are said to be engaging in what type of warfare?
a. asymmetric
b. conditional
c. bimodal
d. conventional
Answer: a
Topic: Structural Foundations of America’s Superpower Status
Learning Objective: 18.2 Examine the foundations of America’s status as a world superpower.
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
7. Foreign policy experts and political leaders claim that a dominant global power, or ________, is
required to maintain the stability of the international system.
a. stabilizer
b. balancer
c. hegemon
d. superpower
Answer: c
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Strategic Goals for American Foreign Policy
Learning Objective: 18.3 Assess the goals and strategies of American foreign and national defense
policies.
8. Regarding nuclear weapons, where has the United States seen the most success in its policy goals?
a. reducing the number of nuclear warheads deployed
b. slowing the arms race with the Soviet Union and its successor Russia
c. preventing the deployment of nuclear weapons in India
d. closing down the North Korean nuclear weapons program
Answer: b
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Topic: Problems of the Post-Cold War World
Learning Objective: 18.4 Evaluate problems facing the United States in the post–Cold War world.
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, 9. Who among the following is most likely to have the greatest influence over U.S. foreign policy?
a. secretary of state
b. director of the National Security Agency
c. Director of National Intelligence
d. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Answer: a
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
10. The Department of Defense is primarily responsible for which of the following?
a. ensuring homeland security
b. implementing military policy
c. developing a comprehensive trade policy
d. advising the president about national security threats
Answer: b
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Topic: Foreign and National Security Policymakers
Learning Objective: 18.1 Describe the roles of the principal architects of U.S. foreign and national
defense policies.
11. In recent years, there has been growing support in the United States for a more __________
foreign policy that argues for reducing involvement in the affairs of other countries and international
institutions.
a. hegemonic
b. multilateral
c. diplomatic
d. isolationist
Answer: d
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Topic: Strategic Goals for American Foreign Policy
Learning Objective: 18.3 Assess the goals and strategies of American foreign and national defense
policies.
266
Copyright © 2026
