Compare The Four Core National Interests Of The US

According to Sarkesian, “US national interests are expression of US values projected into the domestic and international arenas.” The concerns of technology, totalitarianism, and suspicion of the military have developed into the four core national interests. President Roosevelt saw the need for unity among military branches necessary in order to combat against the concerns of national interest. President Truman adapted the national interests to show the strength of the U.S. The national interests described by the founders of the National Security Act of 1947 can be seen in today’s interests. Similarly, the interests of the past fit into the four core interests today.
The original architects of the National Security Act perceived national interest to be international relations and domestic with regards to how much backing American citizens had behind their government. When the Japanese invaded China, Roosevelt felt it necessary to move toward military preparedness . His concerns were an increase in vulnerability due to technological advancement and the international spread of totalitarian governments. The technological advancement of airplanes made the U.S. vulnerable because the Atlantic and Pacific oceans were no longer able to
serve as barriers to the rest of the world . The U.S. is able to form common ground with democratic governments; therefore, the U.S felt threatened by a different type of government taking hold of vulnerable nations that would not have the same interests. According to Sarkesian, “The U.S. involvement in World War I was seen as a way to make the world safe for democracy and subdue a tyrannical Old War power.” The American citizens did not trust the military’s role in the federal government because they believed the military would push for a war. The people did not trust government war efforts because they saw it as officials looking for war profiteering. Roosevelt recognized the national interests and proposed a National Security Act to unify the U.S. government and its military branches .

World War II proved that there needed to be a centralized body that unified the military branches. During the World Wars there were different wars being fought by the United States distinguished as the land war and the sea war. President Truman saw the national interests as focusing on technological superiority and sending a message to the international community through the use of military might . Congress needed to be convinced that the National Security Act of 1947 would back the national interests. The main factors for the Act were that the U.S. needed to be prepared to defend itself, to have a core intelligence agency, and to study resources for the country.
During the Post-World War II Era the national interests were noted as democracy and world order. For example, “It was perceived that democracy and US values could not be nurtured and expanded if we simply stayed at home.” This led the U.S. to take on a leadership role and create a moral basis for the Vietnam and Korean Wars. Thus, the U.S. was trying to promote world order. Another example of world order is found in Sarkesian’s words, “The policy of containment reflected a US policy consensus to prevent expansion of the Soviet Union and its Communist system.” This displays the United States’ interest of making the world safe for democracies and trying to eliminate other types of governments from forming.
The national interests of the past are still concerns for today. The technological aspect has shifted from airplane threats to nuclear weapons. Weapons of Mass Destruction maintains assurance of mutual safety. However, Russia and China from continue to build up nuclear power even though the U.S. has made agreements with them. Nuclear technology in the hands of terrorist organizations it can pose a serious threat. The national interest of totalitarianism can be seen in Saddam Hussein’s rule. The U.S. used its leadership role to bring down Saddam. Also, ISIS can be seen as a threat because of its hold on Iraq and Syria. Military suspicion is evidenced by the fact that the U.S. citizens have questioned motives for the war in Iraq. Citizens have called this a war for oil. The issue of unification between military and governmental branches was made known by the terrorist attacks of 9/11. These attacks could have been prevented if there was more discussion between the CIA and other intelligence agencies. This lapse in communication showed the U.S. that the national interests of the past are still today. It resulted in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security which has further unified the military branches. These few examples display that the national interests have not changed but have been clearly defined.
The four core national interests of democracy, economic well-being, stability and world order, and security have enveloped American values and concerns.
Democracy has been a core national interest since before the architects of the National Security Act. World order can be seen as the national interest in totalitarianism. President Roosevelt recognized that totalitarian governments were a threat to the U.S. and its democratic Allies. Also, the World Wars changed the American interest of isolationism to world order. The U.S. became part of NATO and the United Nations in order to help find resolutions to problems between nations and prevent another world war. The issue of security evolved from the concern with airplanes to Pearl
Harbor.
National interests are the physical components of national security which the U.S. strides for. The national interests of the U.S. have not changed from 1947 until now but have been adapted to exemplify how the U.S. responds to foreign and domestic concerns . National interest has adapted from the World Wars to the threat of communism to playing a hand as a big brother to protecting the nation from terrorism. National interest is the protection of the well-being of the United States and its citizens. Its domestic aspect