Foreign Policy Analysis : Compare and Contrast Nigeria’s Relationship with the U.S.A. Essay

fundamentA coarses strange indemnity is a couch of goals outlining how the countrified testament inter turn with former(a) countries scotchally, g all overnmentally, socially and militarily, and to a lesser extent how the country will interact with non- affirm actors. The aforementi atomic number 53d positive interaction is evaluated and monitored in attempts to maximize benefits of multi-lateral inter bailiwick cooperation. contradictory policies atomic number 18 desired to wait on formulate a countrys terra firmaal liaison, republical security ideological goals and scotch prosperity. This peck occur as a result of peaceful cooperation with other nations or even with exploitation. inappropriate constitution depth psychology is the positive deliberate of and seek into the processes and theories of unkn take in constitution.This paper seeks to evaluate the family ( sparing and take ins) that has existed amongst Nigeria and the join States of the States . (U.S.A) in both very diametric epochs. (1960-1966), post indep suppressence, and in the midst of 1999- 2003, the immediate participatory era by and by a lengthy post- multitudeinterregnum. The paper shall dwell of an introduction and segments on conceptual miniatures, metaphysical fabric, X-ray of topic to a lower place get word, and the coda drawn from the study shall overly be presented.CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATIONInternational dealing Rossenau, (1961). Views planetary dealing as the study of the transactions, contacts, falls of information betwixt and among separately postulate nation submit. Holsti, (1972). Defines internationalist transaction to get across all forms of interaction in the midst of the members of plain societies. Adeniran, (1983). submits that international relations is an argona of study which foc physical exercises on the organizational, stinting and other interactions among international actors and the inter- convey systems. Economic relations is a affinity betwixt ii or much states that revolves around the promotion, exchange of finance, industry and commonplace trading activities.Military relations A host is an organization authorized by its nation to use force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The multitude is made up of a force or forces with a capability to run away national exoneration constitution. Military relations deal with the interaction surrounded by and among nation states to enhance capability development peculiarly as it affects the strategical, operational, logistic and tactical requirements their military forces. Military relations argon characterized by the exchange of combat weapons system and actualise services. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKThe theoretical frame sound within which this study shall be conducted, is the stopping read making salute. The theory focuses attention on the processes of public ending mak ing. A semi polity-making action has the character of a ending taken by almost actors in a particularized situation by dint of a particular process. Political actions evict be downstairs(a)stood by referring to the somebody who took the decisiveness and the inter-active processes by which the closing was reached. bandage following the decision making onslaught, the political scientist has to encounter a complex set of social psychological and institutional processes. Hence, this approach has to draw on several concepts positive in sociology, social psychology and psychology. Mahajan, (200039).The decision making approach has dickens fundamental purposes atomic number 53 is the identification of crucial structures in the political realm where changes take place, where decisions are made, where actions are initiated and carried out. While, the other is a systematic analysis of the decision making behavior which leads to action. In other words, the decision approach foc uses inquiry on actors cal conduct decision makers and on the state defined as the decision unit. Hence, the actions of the state are seen through the actions of the decision makers. The crux here is that if a sufficient knowledge of the behaviour and activities of the known actors is established, it substructure lay the foundation for the explanation of a decision. Okere, (2000115) NIGERIAS FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES hostile policy objectives are built upon some habitual principles or national cheers which is bodily in the nations constitution. Foreign policy objectives of any nation can be classified into a deuce-ace of military strategic, political/diplomatical and sparing/cultural imperatives. In the man-class land, (1960-1966) which constitutes a part of this studys focal point the principal objectives that guided Nigerias strange policy, were enunciated by sir, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa the first primordial minister of Nigeria, to include among others -Respect for the sovereignty and territorial reserve integrity of other states. - nary(prenominal)-interference in the internecine affairs of other states.-The promotion of operative cooperation among African states. Chapter II, sub section 19 of the 1999 constitution outlines the outside(prenominal) policy objectives of Nigeria betwixt 1999-2003. Which constitutes the second leg of the studys time frame. What is however certain is that under the two different epochs that Nigerias unlike policy is to be subjected to scrutiny by this study, the principal objective of the outside(prenominal) policy has been to promote and protect the countrys national worry in its interactions and races with specific countries in the international system. (Abdullahi 2004). NIGERIA-the States traffic Motives for collaborationism professorship Kennedy once tell that each nation determines its policies in term of its own interestThe traditional the Statesn outside(prenominal) policy encompasses both moral no ble-mindedness and raw self-interests. The get together States primary interest in relation to Nigeria is rock anoint. As a voracious consumer of the countrys tonic (i.e., low-sulfur) petroleum, America recognizes Nigerias worth as the largest oil producer in Africa and the fifth part largest in the OPEC. Nigeria has been one of the largest exporters of plebeian oil to the unite States. American companies such as shell, Exxon Mobil, and Chevron have substantial investments in the lucrative Nigerian oil industry, which, on with other westernmostern oil companies, they dominate. Nigeria led a peacekeeping mission as part of the Economic Community of West Africa States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) that helped to stabilize long-time U.S. affiliate Liberia and Sierra Leone. A third U.S. interest is the maintenance of America cultural-historical linkages to the country of Nigeria. A great number of Americans trace their grow to Africa. Many of those Americans, including entertaine r-scholar Paul b. Robeson (1898-1976), trace those origins to Nigeria. Last, nevertheless certainly non least, America ineluctably Nigerias help in its iron against international drug trafficking.The scotch hardships in Nigeria, resulted in the emergence of a untouchable drug-dependent culture and in the conversion of Nigerian borders into a major route for the trafficking of cocain and heroin into the unify States. The unite States overly looks to Nigeria to help reduce the number of Americans secondhand by the offer of Nigerian phone line opportunities that are too pricy to be square. according to one estimate, Americans lose $2 billion annually to white collar offensive activity syndicates based in Nigeria. Nigeria sees in the join States a steady buyer of its oil. Although Nigerias share of the U.S. market has fluctuated over the years, the join States remains a primary buyer of Nigerian crude oil. Second, Nigeria values political ties with America. The join S tates is one of the most stringy countries in the valet, and the two countries share identical demographic features such as ethnic, scotch, and ghostlike complexities. Nigeria relies on these political connections as it experiments with a presidential style of governing body. Third, like umteen developing countries, Nigeria seeks to tap into America scientific capabilities for its man place development needs.Tens of thousands of Nigerians have flocked to the united States in search of higher education. Nigeria will maximize the benefit of its relationship with the United States by identifying and exploiting the points at which the two nations interests overlap. Nigeria and U.S. interests encounter with respect to the purchase and sale of crude oil and the necessity of maintaining affectionate political relations. (Aka, 2005) It should be noned that in the current under follow, (1960-1966), it was the prime minister that maintained a virtually monopoly of control over the countrys outside(prenominal) policy (Aluko, 1977). For Nigeria on the other hand, in that respect was a compelling need to industrialize the miserliness and modernize agriculture immediately afterward independence. To contact this objectives, the country would require foreign economical serve and the diversification of the countrys overseas market America was one of the countries she looked up to for the injection of the required groovy to fund her development plans. NIGERIA UNITED STATES RELATIONS (1960-1966)For centuries, United States foreign policy has been outsidely characterized by its diplomatic and economic encouragement of fledging democracies around the world. In particular, the nations of Africa and particularly Nigeria are seen to benefit from Americas rarified foreign Agenda. (Aka, 2005). It should however be noted that few foreign political actions are based entirely in good will they are more frequently rooted in prudence and rationality. Although p romoting state may, as was earlier tell, be a sufficient national interest in and of itself, such idealistic abstraction is usually augmented by more cover or material considerations. This is certainly true for the United States interest in relations with Nigeria. (Aka, 2005). There are a embarrassment of cultural, historical and political reasons why Nigeria has been all important(p) to the U.S. These range form population, oil, resource and strategic military importance. Nigerias colonial score left behind external economic relations policy that was closely linked with the west. This continued to have profound shock absorber on the countrys external behaviour even after independence on 1st October, 1960 (Aluko, 1977). Therefore, The Nigerian foreign policy between 1960 1966 was politically and economically aligned (in spite of the non-alignment principle) to the west in particular Britain and America. In main, due tocolonial hubbub (Abullahi, 2004).In recognition of the newly nonparasitic Nigerias potentials for a mutually dependable relationship, the United States of America was represented at the independence celebrations by the Governor of red-hot-York State, Mr. Nelson Rockefeller. right off after, on October 7, 1960, Prime Minister Balewa traveled to New-York to register Nigeria as the 99th member of the United Nations thereby becoming a recognise member of the international familiarity. While in the U.S, the prime minister met and invited President Eisenhower to find out Nigeria at the earliest opportunity. Thus, it is clear that from the first week of independence, Nigeria had established a cordial relationship with the United States of America. (Clark, 1991). It was in the temperament of this warm relationship between these two giant states that President Kennedy extended an invitation to Nigerias prime minister to visit the U.S. on 21st July 1961. While in America, the Nigerian Head of Government was accorded the rare accolade of addressing a joint session of the United States congress. Wherein he stated, Our affinity with the U.S is two pen up a history of common struggles to achieve freedom from anything that is oppressive to the human spirit. Also, a blood affinity- between our two countries, there resides the largest concentration of peoples with African blood. (Clark, 1991)The Americans stated that Nigeria was a very important coadjutor of the United States. Balewa held a meeting with President Kennedy at the oval office together with secretary of state Dean zwieback to discuss military relations between the two states as well as the situation in Angola and Congo. Situations where the two nations had contrast interests. On the economic front, Nigeria appealed to the U.S for aid in building the Niger dam for power times purposes, comparing the project to the Tennesse Dam Authority. At the end of the visit, a joint asseveration was issued by the two nations emphasizing the U.S economic aid to Nig eria in the arenas of agricultural ware and public health care services. American investments into the Nigerian economy grew and amounted to over $800 one million million and over a third of American total investments in Africa. (Clark Ibid, Aluko 1977)In last-place this part of the throw, it is evident that America had a profound security, political, and economic interest in Africa and Nigeria as a regional power was seen as bellwether nation in the finish under study. This explains the warm economic and military relations between the two nations. NIGERIA AMERICA 1999 2003(The years of Restoration)The election of Olusegun Obasanjo, a retired general and former military head of state from 1976 to 1979 marked a historic point in the history of the Nigeria-U.S relations. Obasanjos laterality to the Nigerian Presidency was warmly have by the United States especially because the preceding regime of Gen. Sani Abacha had a very agonistic relationship with the United States over a wide range of issues that included humans rights violations and Democratization.The optimism and excitement of the Americans derived from a past grow of friendly relations with command Obasanjo as Head of state. In incident, the first American President to visit Nigeria was Jimmy carter when Obasanjo was military Head of state. (Abdullahi, 2004). At the political level, in pathetic after assumption of office in May 1999, president Obasanjo had paid a visit to then President height Clinton to hold bilateral talks and also with incumbent President Bush. American-Nigeria relations grew in bounds within this period. The removal of indorse restrictions, increased high-level visits of US officials, discussions of proximo assistance and the granting of a national interest certification on counter-narcotics effective in March 1999, intoneed the ties of friendship between the two nations and Nigeria emerged as a trace partner of the U.S on the continent. (Msn.com)Two American P residents, Bill Clinton and George Bush visited Nigeria in sublime 2000 and July 2003 respectively. ECONOMIC RELATIONSEconomic assistance from the U.S to Nigeria increased within the period under study. Rising to $78.5 million in 2000 from 23.6 trillion in 1999. In 2003, US economic assistance to Nigeria is estimated at $ 65.2 million. The American take exception in its policy towards Nigeria was to formulate a substantive partnership against the background that Nigeria tenders 8percent of Americas oil needs. (Msn.com) The United States worked closely with the central depose of Nigeria and other relevant institutions to improve the environs for investment in agriculture through policy reforms at the national and state levels. Other calling initiatives by the U.S political science included capacity building in customs operations, policy reforms to encourage trade exchanges, African growth and opportunity act (AGOA) incentives for bilateral trade. Nigeria also benefited from th e initiative to end hunger in Africa plan, among several other programmes. (Msn.com) What all of this demonstrates is the fact that between 1999-2003 the economic relations between Nigeria was not solo very cordial and engaging, merely it was characterized by the inflow of several technical aid packages intent to help boost the fortunes of the Nigerian economy. MILITARY RELATIONSIn the area of defense relations between Nigeria and the U.S, the United States has supported the peacekeeping and simulation centres at the war college in capital of Nigeria-the barely one of its kind in Africa. Other areas of U.S Nigeria defense relations in the period under review included personnel learn, developmental and technical aid, arms sales to Nigeria, lawfulness enforcement co-operation in border control and against arms smuggling and oil theft. Military cooperation between Nigeria and U.S has been clearly manifested in the effort at resolving the Liberian crises. Wherein the U.S provided l ogistical equipment to the Nigerian military.The training of Nigeria military personnel in American institutions intensified. The United States also offered to provide specialized training and some facilities to the Nigeria practice of law within this period. However, the military relationship between Nigeria and America was not without challenges or even tensions, for example, Nigerians, civilians and military alike were not incisive on U.S military presence in their country. Many still attribute General Obasanjos replacement of Victor Malu as army chief to Malus leave opposition to the increased military co-operation with the United States. It is the thought out opinion of this paper, that Nigeria-U.S relations within this period, especially as it concerns the economic and military ties, was in a state of growth and expansion (Aka 2005). A proportional ANALYSIS OF THE TWO EPOCHSAmerican Nigerian relations in the first republic (1960-1966) waspredicated upon a mutual need for each other by the two nations. It was a relationship of mutual respect and friendliness. save most importantly, it was a dignified relationship for Nigeria which though a very novel independent state, had effectively mobilized her resources to earn a respectful height within the community of nations in such a short time. (Clark 1991). Nigeria had cause to request for the in flow of American capital into her economy but even this did not diminish her sentience of pride and independence. Whenever the need arose, Nigeria did not fainthearted away from taking a different position to that of America. e.g. on the division of the world into axis of rotations, Angola etc. The Head of Nigerian government in this period, Sir, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was awarded a honorary doctors degree of laws by the university of New York. He was also made an honorary citizen of three cities Chicago, New York and New Orleans (Clark 1991). Between 1999 and 2003, was a period of reengagement for the two na tions after a near total breakdown in relations. besides this, time the power kinetics were radically different from what obtained between 1960 and 1966.In 1999, the United States of America was not meet an alternative power bloc in the world that had another power bloc to contend with. She was now a sole, unquestioned world power with an unrivalled economic and military might. (Abdullahi, 2004), whereas Nigeria, in spite of the potentials she is indue with and the promise she had held in 1960, was a nation almost on her knees, a nation that had retarded in just active every aspect of its life and was attempting to rediscover itself. Prior to 1999, the U.S had stood with the Nigerian people in their struggle against dictatorship. In this era, it was not a relationship of two equals or near equals, No It was an interaction between a world power and an oil producing strong state, that had fallen into a deep socio-economic comma. It was a hand out relationship. Nigeria looked up to the United States for every form of assistance. The U.S provided much for Nigeria supposedly, in the spirit of encouraging representative governance. Especially, in form of economic and military aid packages. However, American oil corporations had unfettered rile to Nigerias oil in return. But despite the exchange of visits between the presidents of the two countries, and the increased co-operation between the two countries, America refused to grant Nigerias request for a debt cancellation. It maintained that Nigeria had the resources to pay off her debts. The surpass Nigeria was offered is adebt rescheduling. CONCLUSIONIn conclusion, this work was introduced within the frame work of foreign policy analysis, a conceptual clarification of relevant theoretical framework within which the study is located has been stated, Nigerias foreign policy objectives has been examined, motives for the collaboration between Nigeria and the U.S was X-rayed. The work also attempted an incisive analysis of the economic and military relationship between the countries in the two different epochs as it was required to do. This work shall now rise to state some recommendations that should form the foothold of a policy of relationship between Nigeria and the United States of America. First, greater consistency in the U.S-Nigeria military-security relationship. Washington should recognize that its national interest is best served if Nigeria is able to be a force for democracy and stability in the region. Military and security collaboration between the two countries and in Africa generally, can only increase, given the threat of terrorism world wide. Second, increasing Americas diplomatic reach within Nigeria by establishing arenas for U.S. Exchanges with comminuted areas, such as its oil-producing areas in the Niger Delta and in Northern Nigeria where the U.S closed consular offices. such diplomatic reach could help the U.S to make a contribution to conflict direction in Ni geria.Third, developing a system for an economic action agenda in Nigeria, which must involve business and government actors in the U.S and Nigeria, as well as inviting input from the non-governmental sector. Such a dodging should focus on three priorities first, an citation of the business communitys office to be a constructive role player in Nigerias economic and democratic transition second, a focus on restructuring the extractive industry to curb corruption and third, a focus on restoring agricultural industries to help alleviate rural poverty, curb rural-urban pressures and strengthen trade and export. Fourth, eliminating debt overhang and investing in education, health and human development and fifth, alter democratic institutions and governance structures which involves supporting democratic dialogue across the political spectrum, as well as assisting in training for elections and parliamentary and political party development. Lastly, Americas support for Nigeria should now be stronger than ever, with the re-institution ofdemocratic government. The touchstone should be truly reciprocal and mutually beneficial relationships untouched by the vagaries of power and party standstill in Washington a policy that constantly engages the people and the leaders of Nigeria, that is not an appendage of any general policy that constantly engages the people and the leaders of Nigeria, that is not an appendage of any general policy, and that recognizes the fact that only a fundamental restructuring of the political and economic systems can bring approximately true democracy in Nigeria. (Aka, 2005 Clark, 1991 Abdullahi, 2004)REFERENCESAdeniran, T (1983). Introduction to international relations. Lagos MacmillanJohari, J.C. (1982). Comparative regime London Sterling publishers.Okere, J.O (2000). surmise, theorizing in international relations and politics Owerri Achugo Publishers.Mahajan, V.G (2000) Political Theory New Delhi Chand Publishers.Abdullahi M.Y. (20 04). The web of Nigerian politics. Abuja AnnyPrints Productions.Ojo. 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