Defense Policy and the Presidency: Carter's First Years

This book examines the role of the president in the defense policy process, focusing specifically, but not exclusively, on the administration of President Carter. Contributors discuss such current concerns as the NATO-Warsaw confrontation and attitudes of European allies, U.S.-China-Japan defense relationships, and the issues of military intervention. In examining the broader aspects of defense policy, they focus on the style of leadership and world view of the president and his immediate national security staff and on the politics of the defense budget. A constant theme is the comparison of past defense policies with those of the present administration. The authors offer insights on important aspects of the Carter defense policy, provide an assessment of the impact of the president's policies on future U.S. defense posture, and present a conceptual framework for examining both the president's role in defense policymaking and the general concept of national security.

Sam C. Sarkesian is professor and chairman of the Political Science Department, Loyola University of Chicago. He is associate chairman of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society.