U.S. Troops in Europe

NPR

Critical Analysis

1. Currently, there are about 60,000 U.S. troops stationed in Europe. Based on the map above, which European country has the highest number of U.S. troops?

2. Based on the map above, to which European countries did the U.S. recently deploy troops?

3. Why did the U.S. deploy troops to these specific countries?

4. You can see the N.A.T.O. member nations in the map above. What the hell is NATO and why did it form in the first place?

5. The U.S. Constitution parcels out foreign relations powers to both the executive and legislative branches. It grants some powers, like command of the military, exclusively to the president and others, like the regulation of foreign commerce, to Congress, while still others it divides among the two or simply does not assign. Describe some specific examples of how these separation of powers in policy have played out in the current crisis in Ukraine?

6. Which branch would you say has shown the most leadership in the current Ukraine foreign policy crisis?

7. Who are some of the departments and organizations that assist President Biden in formulating foreign policy?

8. Ukraine is currently one of three European nations with a declared aspiration to join NATO, something that Russia vehemently opposes. Russia continues to see Ukraine as an important part of its sphere of influence. Similar to Belarus, Ukraine holds geopolitical significance for Russia as a buffer state to the West, but it also regards the country as a major cultural and historical ally. In February and March 2014, Russia invaded and subsequently annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Russia currently has 190,000 troops along the border of Ukraine. A few weeks ago I predicted that once the 2022 Beijing Olympics ended, Russia would invade Ukraine. Based on the most current information, how likely is a Russian invasion of Ukraine?

9. What do you think the U.S. should do about Russia’s threat to Ukraine?

10. Explain whether you would be willing to deploy to Europe to fight for Ukraine’s sovereignty?.

Learning Extension

Listen to this recent Daily Podcast Episode: Why U.S. soldiers won’t come to Ukraine’s rescue.

Action Extension

Contact President Biden and let him know what you think he should do about Ukraine.

Visual Extension