More than Advice? The Role of the Joint Staff in the American Foreign Policy Process.

This paper addresses two levels at which the US military influences foreign policy: at the level of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and below where the Joint Staff interacts with other actors in the interagency process. Building on a year's experience on the Joint Staff, I consider the authority and influence of the Chairman briefly before delineating how the Joint Staff fits into the process. I then go on to show how the Joint Staff has greater relevance when NATO is involved. Next, I address the constraints facing the Chairman and the Joint Staff respectively, using examples from the Bush Administration. I conclude with some suggestions about future trends. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]