JFK pursued a foreign policy of flexible response that involved 6 stages: 1) maintaining nuclear weapons but seeking options beyond deterrence, 2) increasing conventional weapons and defense spending, 3) creating covert special forces units like the Green Berets, 4) providing $20 billion in economic aid through programs like the Alliance for Progress, 5) establishing the Peace Corps to promote democracy abroad, and 6) pursuing diplomacy to solve international problems through communication.
During our March 2016 World Future Society AZ meeting, Rob Panacci and Eric Kingsbury led a scenario development process based on the classic 2X2 Scenario approach from the Global Business Network (GBN). Our topic was "American Politics." This document shows the outcome, including 8 scenarios in brief.
2. 1. Nuclear Weapons
• JFK wanted a variety of options to deal with international conflicts
• Unlike Ike-didn’t want nukes to be the only option
• Failure of Brinkmanship
• Hungary (1956)
• Missile Gap?? Were the Russians ahead?
• 1961-63 ICBM’s-could annihilate USSR
• 1963-424 ICBM’s
3. 2. Conventional Weapons + 3. Green
Berets
• 2. Conventional
Weapons-Increase in
Defense Budget by 15%
• 3. Green Berets created
for covert operations
• Special Military Units for
wars of national liberation
• Vietnam, Cuba
4. 4. Economic Aid
• Alliance for Progress
• Marshall Plan for Latin
America
• $20 Billion in aid
• Most of the $$ never got
to the people that
needed it!
5. 5. Peace Corps + 6. Diplomacy
• Sent Young volunteers to
work in developing
countries for 2 years
• Taught people democracy
and capitalism
• First went to Ghana &
Tanzania
• Diplomacy-work through
communication to solve
international problems
6. 5. Peace Corps + 6. Diplomacy
• Sent Young volunteers to
work in developing
countries for 2 years
• Taught people democracy
and capitalism
• First went to Ghana &
Tanzania
• Diplomacy-work through
communication to solve
international problems