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Establish a deepwater
docking and refuelling
port
How has national interest
shaped foreign policy?
A policy is a plan of action that has been deliberately
chosen to guide or influence future decisions.
A country’s government is responsible for developing
both domestic policy and foreign policy.
Foreign policy decisions may have short term effects
or long term effects.
Some foreign policy decisions made at the end of
World War I are still affecting the world today. Many
people believe that the turmoil in the Middle Eastern
countries related directly to the foreign policy
decisions of the United States and European
countries as they pursued their own national interest.
National Interests and World
War I Peace Settlements
World War I was fought in Europe, the Middle
East, Asia, and Africa.
On one side were the Central Powers
(Germany, Austro-Hungary, Ottoman Empire,
and Bulgaria).
On the other side were the Allies (Britain,
France, Russia, Italy, and later the United
States).
This war was enormous and deadly. Many
millions of people died and the financial cost
was huge.
Before WWI, nationalism flourished in
Europe. Many governments believed that
expanding their territory in Europe and in
their colonies was their national interest.
Their foreign policies involved forming
alliances with other European countries.
These alliances allowed for the members to
help one another out if they should be
threatened. The alliances are what allowed
countries to enter the war so quickly.
The straw that broke the camels
back…
In June of 1914, Archduke
Franz Ferdinand of Austria-
Hungary was visiting
Sarajevo.
Sarajevo is the capital of
Bosnia, which was controlled
by the Austro-Hungarians.
While on his visit, a young
Serbian assassinated the
Archduke and his wife.
This event is said to have led
to WWI.
Due to the assassination of the Archduke,
Austria made demands to Serbia and comply
in 24 hours. Serbia refused and Austria began
to use military pressure.
Russia was aligned with Serbia and declared
war on Austria.
Germany, in alliance with Austria, declared
war on Russia.
France and Britain then declared war on
Germany.
Most of the people affected
by the war, had no say in
the decision to go to war.
Canada, as a commonwealth
nation, went to war when
Britain declared war on
Germany.
Many of the people who
lived in Russia, the Ottoman
Empire, and the Austro-
Hungarian Empire also had
no say in this decision.
World War I lasted
four long years and
finally ended when
an armistice (truce)
was declared at
11a.m. on
November 11th,
1918.
Treaty Negotiations in France
• Read
• On a piece of paper write the
following title: Explorations: page
125
• Answer questions 1-3 fully to
provide evidence of thought and
detail.
National Interests after WWI
The 9/11 attacks on the United States killed nearly 3000 people
including 24 Canadians.
After the attack, it was believed that Osama bin Laden was
hiding in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban.
After the attacks, the United Nations agreed that the United
States and its allies could invade Afghanistan, bring down the
Taliban regime and find bin Laden.
NATO organized the mission, and Canada with the United States
and other member nations attacked the Taliban in October
2001.
Once the Taliban government was defeated, Canadian troops
kept peace while a new government was formed.
Debate over Afghanistan
In 2003, the American troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan
and sent to invade Iraq.
As American troops left, more Canadian and other countries
forces were needed to make up for this loss of troops.
Canadian troops also expanded their role to include active
combat.
This has brought much debate for the Canadian people and the
Canadian government.
War costs both money and lives. Since 2002, 158 members of
the Canadian Forces have been killed serving in the Afghanistan
mission (Last Updated October 31, 2011 by CBC)
The Afghan war has cost Canada $22B as of September 18,
2008 according to The Ottawa Citizen
Some say that a military role
was “not the right mission
for Canada” and that we
should led the world into
peace, not follow the U.S.
into wars.” Jack Layton
Others state that we are
there for the Afghan people,
and that if we abandon
fellow human beings to their
misery, that it will become
our own.”
Canadians are split on the role that the
Canadian military should take in Afghanistan.
Should the Canadian forces engage in
combat? Should they only be there as
peacekeepers? Or should the Canadian forces
be completely withdraw from Afghanistan?
Afghans are concerned about their future.
They want the same opportunities that many
others have around the world.
National Interests and Rights for
Women in Afghanistan
When the Taliban controlled Afghanistan,
girls were not allowed to go to school and
women were not allowed to have careers.
Sima Samar is Afghanistan’s first minister of
women’s affairs. In 2007, she headed the
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights
Commission, which monitors the progress of
government agencies and other institutions
toward implementing human rights laws and
policies.