Final answer:
The main objectives of U.S. foreign policy are to protect the U.S. and its citizens, maintain access to international resources and markets, preserve a balance of power in the world, and protect human rights and democracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Objectives of U.S. Foreign Policy
When U.S. foreign and defense policy is formulated with the goal in mind of doing what is considered to be of vital importance to the country's survival or mission in world affairs, it is said to be protecting or advancing the nation's national interests. The four main objectives of U.S. foreign policy are protecting the United States and its citizens, ensuring access to international resources and markets, maintaining a balance of power in the world, and upholding human rights and democracy. Each of these goals serves to safeguard and promote the United States' position globally, whether through defense measures, diplomatic efforts, economic strategies, or moral support for international norms.
The first goal, security, revolves around safeguarding the nation and its allies against various threats. This includes military matters but also extends to economic challenges such as sanctions or trade barriers. The second goal involves maintaining open access to vital international resources and markets, which not only supports consumer demands but also fosters global economic development. The third goal, balance of power, aims to prevent any one nation or group of nations from becoming dominant enough to threaten U.S. interests. Lastly, promoting human rights and democratic values reflects both moral imperatives and strategic pursuits of stability and peace.
These objectives guide the formulation and implementation of various types of U.S. foreign policy, including trade, military defense, diplomacy, and the support of international agencies like the United Nations and NATO.