Question 1

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." This statement by President Eisenhower exemplifies which of the following concepts?

Accepted Answer

The statement by President Eisenhower highlights the concept of opportunity costs, emphasizing that resources spent on military endeavors could have been used to address basic human needs like food and clothing.

Question 2

What school of thought argues that the drive for power and the domination of others for self-advantage is a universal and permanent motive throughout world history?

Accepted Answer

Realism in international relations theory posits that the drive for power and the desire to dominate others are fundamental aspects of human nature, influencing state behavior and the structure of the international system. This perspective views states as primarily concerned with their own security and interests, often leading to competition and conflict.

Question 3

What trend in the USU.S. military started around the beginning of the Iraq War?

Accepted Answer

The trend of using private military services, also known as private military contractors, increased significantly around the beginning of the Iraq War as the U.S. sought to supplement its military forces.

Question 4

Which behavior is strictly outlawed in international law?

Accepted Answer

Preventive war is outlawed by international law because it involves attacking a country to prevent a potential future threat, rather than responding to an immediate threat. This violates the principles of the United Nations Charter, which only allows for military action in self-defense or with Security Council authorization.

Question 5

When the United States threatens or uses limited force to persuade an adversary to alter its foreign or domestic policy, the US is engaging is what practice?

Accepted Answer

Coercive diplomacy involves the threat or use of limited military force to persuade an adversary to change its behavior or policies. It aims to achieve political objectives without full-scale warfare.

Question 6

What is necessary for mutually assured destruction (MAD)to work?

Accepted Answer

Second-strike capability is essential for mutually assured destruction (MAD) to work because it ensures that even if one side is hit with a nuclear first strike, it can still retaliate with enough force to cause unacceptable damage to the attacker, thereby deterring the initial strike.

Question 7

What technological innovation allows many weapons to be delivered from a single missile?

Accepted Answer

Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) allow a single missile to carry several warheads, each of which can be directed to a different target, enabling one missile to strike multiple targets.

Question 8

Which concept refers to the expansion of the capabilities of existing nuclear powers to inflict increasing destruction with their nuclear weapons?

Accepted Answer

Vertical nuclear proliferation refers to the expansion and modernization of existing nuclear arsenals, allowing countries to increase the destructive power or efficiency of their nuclear weapons.

Question 9

When country A chooses to attack country B based on a suspicion that country B might attack it sometime in the distant future, country A is engaging in which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Preventive war is initiated to prevent another state from becoming more powerful in the future and potentially posing a threat. It is based on the anticipation of future threats rather than an imminent attack, distinguishing it from preemptive war, which is launched to thwart an immediate attack.

Question 10

Aside from the obvious consequences of a nuclear war, such as the destruction of life and property, what other devastating outcomes might such a war bring?

Accepted Answer

A nuclear winter is a potential consequence of a nuclear war, characterized by severe global cooling due to the blocking of sunlight by soot and dust in the atmosphere from nuclear explosions. This could lead to widespread crop failure and famine.

Question 11

Which states dominate the arms export market, supplying 36 and 21 percent of all conventional weapons exports, respectively, between 2014 and 2018?

Accepted Answer

The United States and Russia are the two states that dominate the arms export market, with the United States supplying 36 percent and Russia 21 percent of all conventional weapons exports between 2014 and 2018.

Question 12

Which of the following concepts describes a country's psychological freedom from fears that the state will be unable to resist threats to its survival and national values emanating from abroad or at home?

Accepted Answer

National security encompasses a country's psychological freedom from fears that external or internal threats will undermine its sovereignty and core values. It involves measures to ensure the survival and safety of the state against such threats.

Question 13

Which of the following countries spends the most on its military?

Accepted Answer

The United States spends more on its military than any other country in the world, significantly outpacing other nations in terms of defense budget.

Question 14

According to realism, which element of state power is by far the most important?

Accepted Answer

Realism emphasizes military capabilities as the most important element of state power, as it directly impacts a state's ability to defend itself and project power.

Question 15

The inability of arms suppliers to control the uses of their military hardware and the fact that friends can become foes can lead to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The inability of arms suppliers to control how their military hardware is used, along with the potential for allies to become adversaries, can lead to unintended negative consequences or "blowback." This term refers to the unforeseen and unwanted repercussions, often against the supplier itself, stemming from military or covert actions.

Question 16

When country A deliberately threatens country B with nuclear destruction in hope that country B will concede to its demands, country A is engaging in which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Brinkmanship is the strategy of pushing a dangerous situation to the verge of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome by forcing the opposition to back down. In this scenario, country A is using the threat of nuclear destruction as a means to compel country B to concede to its demands, which aligns with the concept of brinkmanship.

Question 17

What is required for deterrence to be successful?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is required for deterrence to be...

Question 18

What aspect of power might explain why seemingly weak countries have at times been successful at fighting against much more powerful adversaries?

Accepted Answer

Intangible elements of power, such as national morale, leadership, and the strategic use of resources, can significantly influence a weaker country's ability to successfully combat a more powerful adversary. These elements can motivate a population, optimize strategies, and effectively utilize available resources, compensating for disparities in tangible power.

Question 19

What does a country engage in when it displays its military force to intimidate an adversary?

Accepted Answer

Gun-boat diplomacy refers to the use or threat of military force to achieve political objectives, often to intimidate or influence other countries.

Question 20

Which concept refers to an increase in the number of states that possess nuclear weapons?

Accepted Answer

Horizontal nuclear proliferation refers to the spread of nuclear weapons to countries that previously did not possess them, increasing the number of states with nuclear capabilities.

Quiz 8: The Pursuit of Power Through Arms and Alliances