Week of 10/19

Committee on Foreign Relations of the US Senate Hearing on US Foreign Policy

Your group has been called upon to appear before the Committee on Foreign Relations of the US Senate. Your assignment is to persuade the committee members that your option should serve as the basis for foreign policy concerning nuclear weapons. You will be judged on how well you present your option.

Each member of the group will participate in multiple roles. Below is a brief description of the roles and responsibilities. Keep in mind that all members of the group will make the presentation together.

Group Director – Your job is to organize your groups 3 to 5 minute presentation on its option to the Committee on Foreign Relations. In preparing your presentation, you will receive help from other members of your group. You should include arguments from their areas of expertise. Read your option and review the readings to build a strong case for your option.

Military Expert – Your job is to explain why your group’s option best addresses the military challenges of nuclear weapons. Pay special attention to the “what should we do?” section of your option. Review the reading to build a strong case for your option. Make sure that your expertise is represented in the presentation.

Ethics/Morality Expert – Your job is to explain why your group’s option best addresses the ethical and moral challenges of nuclear weapons. Pay special attention to the “Beliefs” section of your option. Review the reading to build a strong case for your option. Make sure that your expertise is represented in the presentation.

Historian – What lessons can be drawn from history to support your group’s position? Carefully read your option and then review the reading with this question in mind. Make sure that your expertise is represented in the presentation.

After your preparations are completed, your group will deliver a 3 to 5 minute presentation to the Committee on Foreign Relations. You may use notes, but you must speak convincingly and clearly. During the other presentations, you should try to identify the weak points of the competing options. After all of the groups have presented their options, members of the Committee on Foreign Relations will ask you clarifying questions. Any member of your group may respond during the question period.

Use the questions and graphic organizer below to help you organize your thoughts.

What are the two most important values underlying your option?

According to the values of your option, what should be the role of the United States in the world?

According to your option, why should these values be the guiding force for US nuclear weapons policy?

As you prepare for your presentation, fill in the row that corresponds to your assigned option. During the presentations of other option groups, fill in the remainder of the chart.

Committee on Foreign Relations of the US Senate Hearing on US Foreign Policy

Your Role – As a member of Committee on Foreign Relations of the US Senate, you consider issues relating to US foreign policy. These hearings will introduce you to three distinct positions the United States could take to address nuclear weapons.

While the three option groups are organizing their presentations, you should prepare two questions regarding each of the options. You will submit these questions at the end of the simulation.

Your questions should be challenging and designed to clarify differences among the options. For example a good question for option 1 might be:

How can you be sure that if the United States has only 500 nuclear weapons that it will be safe from attack?

During the simulation, the three option groups will present their positions. After their presentations are completed, you will ask questions. After the hearings are concluded, you will be called upon to explain your evaluation of the option groups.

Which group presented its option most effectively? Explain your answer.