In the national interest: United States Antarctic policy, 1960-1992

This study has two major purposes. The first is to give more pragmatic content to the amorphous concept of "national interest" by providing a straightforward definition, supplemented by a systematic scheme for analyzing its content in specific cases. The second is to apply this conceptual scheme to explain the goals and objectives of U.S. policy in the Antarctic for the period of 1960 through 1992. To this end, this study poses a number of research questions: Can U.S. Antarctic policy be explained by means of the analytical scheme provided here? If so, what are the interests or objectives guiding U.S. Antarctic policy? How is the U.S. government organized to carry these interests out? Have U.S. foreign affairs officials been able to realize policy objectives? What constraints impinge on the realization of these interests, and what factors facilitate their accomplishment? Is the pursuit of U.S. national interests in Antarctica compatible or incompatible with global interests?; The empirical evidence reveals that the United States is a chief architect of policy affecting Antarctica and a chief player in south polar regional diplomacy. American national interests in the area have found expression in a resolve to establish a political/legal regime for management of the Antarctic and in the maintenance of this regime. U.S. interests in Antarctica are broad and are promoted throughout the Antarctic Treaty System. Executive branch officials have made it clear that they consider the Antarctic Treaty System and the demilitarized status of the region essential for the successful pursuit of the full range of American interests on the continent. The findings also indicate that executive branch officials are essentially autonomous in their pursuit of the national interest with regard to Antarctica. The study establishes that consistency has been the hallmark of U.S. Antarctic policy since 1960 and suggests that a significant degree of congruency exists between U.S. national interests and general global interests there.