An executive decision : an examination of the decision-making process in a foreign policy crisis situation

The central thrust of this paper is to explore the factors that are pertinent to the governmental decision-making process in a foreign policy crisis situation, using the United States intervention into the Dominican Republic in 1965 as a case illustration. Governmental decision-making is examined through a discussion of three conceptual models developed by Professor Graham T. Allison. Special emphasis is given as to how the President of the United States perceives an issue, and how his perceptions can influence a decision in a crisis period. It is the conclusion of this paper that in a foreign policy crisis situation, a governmental decision can best be explained by viewing the decision through the Rational Actor (Classical) model of decision making theory.