STUDY GUIDE
Crisis - United States
United States National Security Council
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Table of Contents
Word of Welcome
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Composition of the USNSC
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Brief explanation of US-Sino relations
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Word of Welcome
Dear Council Members,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the United States National Security Council of the VII
European Model United Nations (EuroMUN). We will gather in May at the beautiful city of
Maastricht in order to simulate one of the most important and influential bodies in world politics
facing a crisis scenario. My name is Diego Salama, I am 24 years old and I will have the pleasure to
serve as your chair for this period of sessions.
It is important to take under consideration a couple of facts about our upcoming simulation. You will
not be briefed with regards to the content of the crisis however, we are expecting you to prepare
nonetheless; it is of paramount importance for the development of our committee that you are
all well acquainted with U.S. Foreign Policy and also that you properly understand the work of the
National Security Council and the duties and competences of the role you have been assigned to.
We will not simulate personal characters which means you do not have to study the personality of
the actual office-holders (i.e. Susan Rice) but instead you need to focus on the institutional, political
and legal competences of your role. Moreover, as this will be a joint crisis with the Politburo of the
People’s Republic of China, you will need to familiarize with Chinese Foreign Policy.
In this Study Guide I will provide you with a, very, brief introduction to the Committee, the officials
who will be joining during EuroMUN 2014 and some of the main aspects of US-Chinese relations. I
strongly encourage you to study these issues further and to read the Rules of Procedure prepared
by the Secretariat.
The Crisis teams alongside the Secretariat are working tirelessly to provide you with a fantastic
simulation and an exciting social program. I am very much looking forward to meeting you all in May.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Kind regards,
Diego Salama
Chair – USNSC
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/salamadie
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Composition of the USNSC
After the end of World War II the Government of the United States of America believed it needed
to restructure its entire defense apparatus in order to, adequately, fight against the threat posed
by the Soviet Union. President Truman, alongside his cabinet, worked with Congress to see those
changes implemented and as such, the National Security Act of 1947 1was adopted. This legislation
created institutions such as a Central
Intelligence Agency and it also merged the
Departments of the Navy and War under a
single Department of Defense. One of the
most important creations of this Act was
the United States National Security Council
(USNSC). (Office of the Historian, 2010)
The Council is part of the Executive Office of
the President2 and as such, it is independent
from all other Federal Agencies. The Staff
which runs the day-to-day operations of
monitoring and who elaborate the National
Security Strategy for the President enjoy a tremendous amount of autonomy, indeed “the NSC as an
entity is not subject to congressional oversight, even though it now performs many of the policymaking
functions once reserved for the State Department”. (ROTHKOPF, 2005) The permanent Staff of the
Council is led by the National Security Advisor and their main role is to monitor situations in which
US interests are involved, liaise with the appropriate agencies, brief the White House. However,
whenever the President wishes to convey the principals of the Federal Government, he summons
them to the White House Situation Room (Photo) and convenes a meeting of the Security Council.
The Structure of the UNSC is, to a certain extent, regulated by the National Security Act of 1947.
The President –who is also the Chair, the Vice-President, the Secretaries of State, Defense and
Energy3 are the statutory members. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of
National Intelligence serve as statutory military and intelligence advisors respectively. However, the
White House Chief of Staff, the Attorney General, the National Security Advisor alongside other
senior officials are regular non-statutory attendees of meetings. (Whittaker, Smith, & McKune,
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The National Security Act of 1947 (PL 235 – 61 Stat. 496; U.S.C. 402.) Available at: http://www.intelligence.senate.gov/
nsaact1947.pdf
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The National Security Council was established by the National Security Act of 1947 (PL 235 - 61 Stat. 496; U.S.C. 402),
amended by the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (63 Stat. 579; 50 U.S.C. 401 et seq.). Later in 1949, as part of the
Reorganization Plan, the Council was placed in the Executive Office of the President
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The Secretary of Energy was added as a statutory member of the National Security Council by the Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140, H.R. 6), in Title IX: International Energy Programs, Subtitle C, Miscellaneous Provisions, Section 932:
National Security Council Reorganization. This section amended Section 101(a) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 402(a).
However, given the apolitical characteristic of the Department of Energy, the Secretary only attends whenever there is a situation that
requires his expert advice.
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2008). “The heads of other executive departments and agencies, as well as other senior officials,
are invited to attend meetings of the NSC when appropriate”, (The White House, 2014) therefore
the composition of the Council varies according to the situation which it is dealing with. The
Council serves as forum for coordination and decision-making. The meetings are always held at
close doors, the attendees all have a top secret security clearance and the outcome is classified at
the highest level. The main duties of the Council are clearly defined in the National Security Act:
“[S]hall be to advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military
policies related to the national security so as to enable the military services and the other departments and
agencies of the government to cooperate more effectively in matters involving the national security” (1947)
Therefore, it is important to understand that through the Council, the President can ensure, to a
certain extent, smooth coordination and he can get candid advice before making any significant
decision. Whenever, the Council makes a decision, they write and adopt a Directive which is a very
straight-forward document outlining instructions to the appropriate agencies and departments which
are involved in the situation which is being dealt with. All directives must be approved and signed by
the President as he is the Head of Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Duties and competences of the Council Members
President: Head of State and Government of the United States, he is the maximum authority
within the Council. His authority comes from Section II of the United States Constitution.
It is important to mention that all members of the National Security Council “serve at the
pleasure of the President” which means he can ask for their resignations whenever he pleases.
Vice-President: The second in line of the Constitutional Order of Succession, he serves as one
of the most prominent advisors of the President. The degree of active involvement of the VicePresident varies from Administration to Administration but in the case of Vice-President Biden,
for example, he is a very instrumental actor. “In a White House where foreign policy is made,
to an extraordinary extent, by the president and a few close advisors, Biden is first among
equals.” (Traub, 2012) Some VP’s have a particular portfolio which they are responsible for
however; within the National Security Council they provide advice on any and all issues at hand.
Secretary of State: The “SecState” is the chief foreign policy advisor of the Administration,
he or she gets appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate; the Secretary is
a both a member of the Cabinet (he is 4th in the Constitutional line of succession), the Security
Council and he oversees the work of all US Foreign Missions, and he personally represents
the United States in negotiations at the Ministerial level. (US Deparment of State, 2014)
Secretary of Defense (SecDef): The “SecDef” is the American equivalent of Minister of Defense;
he or she is the highest ranking official at the Pentagon and is required by Law to be a Civilian.
The SecDef position has both a political and a technical matter due to the fact that, on the one
hand, as a senior member of the Cabinet, the views expressed by the Secretary are quite visible
to the public and on the other hand he must have a deep understanding on how the Military
works. The main duties of the SecDef are brilliantly outlined in the National Security Act of 1947:
“The Secretary of Defense, with the approval of the President and after consultation
with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall provide to the President written
policy guidance for the preparation and review of contingency plans, including plans for
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providing support to civil authorities in an incident of national significance or a catastrophic
incident, for homeland defense, and for military support to civil authorities.” 4 (1947)
Secretary of Energy: This is one of the most apolitical positions of the Council, the reason the Energy
Secretary is seats at the National Security Council is because the Department provides expert advice to the
President on issues related to energy security. The Secretary is also a member of the Cabinet and his main
role is to “ensure America’s Security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear
challenges through transformative science and technology solutions”. (US Deparment of Energy, 2014)
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (The Chairman): The Joint Chiefs are an advisory military body
comprised of the high ranking officers on active duty and their objective is to provide assistance
and guidance to civilian officials. The Chairman is the leader of said body and is, by law, the Senior
Ranking member of the Armed Forces however, he is subordinate to both the President and SecDef
and he is not empowered to take military action unilaterally5 (The Joint Chiefs of Staff, 2014).
The Chairman, by Law, must be a 4 Star General or Admiral; he is appointed by the President
with advice and consent of the Senate to serve a term of 2 years. He must provide counsel with
relation to troop deployment, strategic planning, and budget for each branch under his command;
he also works on contingency plans during times of crisis and general national military planning.
Director of National Intelligence: The United States has 16 Intelligence agencies that are collective
called The Intelligence Community and as such there was a need to create an Agency which seats
on top of all of them in order to ensure coordination and better communication. (The National
Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, 2002) After the attacks of September
11th, 2001 President Bush, together with Congressional Leaders, negotiated a major overhaul
of the intelligence apparatus and the result was the creation of the Directorate of National
Intelligence. The Director of this agency (DNI) now serves as the Chief Advisor to the President
(and the USNSC) with regards to intelligence; his or her duty is to “ensure that timely and objective
national intelligence is provided to the President, the heads of departments and agencies of the
executive branch; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and senior military commanders; and
the Congress” (Office of the Director of National Intelligence, 2014) The DNI is not a member
of the Cabinet however, he is appointed by the same procedure that Cabinet Secretaries are.
White House Chief of Staff (CoS): The CoS is the highest ranking official in the Executive Office of the
President. Together with the Vice-President, he is one of the closest advisors to the President. The CoS is
a Cabinet Member however, his or her appointment doesn’t require Senate confirmation; there is no legal
set of duties or competences and the level of involvement on affairs of State varies from Administration
to Administration however, the CoS generally supervises White House Senior Staff, controls the access
to the President, negotiates with Congress and participates in meetings regarding National Security.
National Security Advisor: The NSA is a high ranking official within the Executive Office of the
President and he or she, generally, has complete and direct access to the President and serves as
4 10 U.S. CODE § 113 – SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
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10 U.S. CODE § 153- CHAIRMAN FUNCTIONS
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one of his closest advisors on issues related to National Security, Foreign and Defense Policy. The
NSA’s influence and resources have been exponentially growing since the days of Henry Kissinger
and the job is designed to meet the particular needs of the Administration. (Daalder & Destler, 2012)
Secretary of the Treasury: Ever since the Clinton Administration, the Secretary is a non-statutory
member of the National Security Council. The main area of focus of this Cabinet member is to
“formulate and recommend domestic and international financial, economic, and tax policy,
participating in the formulation of broad fiscal policies that have general significance for the economy,
and managing the public debt”. (U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2014) The Secretary provides a
much-needed economic perspective to National Security in order to ensure that a multidimensional
approach which considers the economic impact of political decisions in times of Crisis.
Attorney General (AG): The AG is the Chief Law-Enforcement officer of the Federal Government
and also the Head of the Department of Justice; he is a member of the Cabinet and a nonstatutory member of the National Security Council. The AG provides legal advice to the
President. “Since the 1870 Act the Attorney General has guided the world’s largest law office
and the central agency for enforcement of federal laws.” (U.S. Department of Justice, 2014)
Ambassador to the United Nations: This is the only ambassador in the entire diplomatic service who is a
member of the Cabinet and an official of the State Department at the same time “As U.N. ambassador,
she reports to the secretary of state and works with the State Department’s Bureau of International
Organization Affairs; as a member of the cabinet she reports to the president.” (Traub, 2012) The
Ambassador represents the United States at meetings of the General Assembly, the Security Council
and any and all High-level meetings at the ambassadorial level which take place in the United Nations.
Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China: The Ambassador is the head of the U.S. Permanent
Mission to Beijing and he is the main interlocutor between the Chinese and US Government.
The Ambassador is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
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A brief summary of US-Sino Relations
The Sino-American relationship is, without a doubt, the most important bilateral relationship in
the world. Over the past 25 years the Chinese economy has been soaring vigorously and now, the Asian
country is the 2nd largest economy of the world. With this economic growth the Chinese Foreign Policy
has increased its assertiveness and the Government in Beijing is actively seeking to play a major role in its
region and the world. Despite the fact that both countries are profoundly economically interdependent
there is still much to be concerned about in terms of the possibility of conflict. (Friedberg, 2005)
There are a number of issues which are now probable causes for concern. Chief among them
is China’s disputes with its neighbors –particularly Japan, and the U.S. “Pivot to Asia”. This can be a
major source of conflict due to the fact that many of China’s neighboring countries have expressed
concerns of a Chinese rise, which is why they have turned to the U.S. to provide them with protection.
(Bader, 2013) The rapid modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is also a source of
concern for U.S. Policymakers as they have expressed doubts that China’s rise will be peaceful.
Another significant source of tension is China’s support of North Korea and U.S.
support of Taiwan; there have been multiple negotiations and the status quo is not
only tense but quite volatile which is why it will be important for both sides to have a
direct line of communication in order to avoid miscalculations which can lead to conflict.
Over the past few years the two countries held bi-lateral summits at the presidential
level in which the leadership discussed ways to address the relationship however;
there is still a lot of progress to be made if the two powers are to avoid armed conflict.
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Bibliography
Bader, J. A. (2013, May 14). 2013 Barnett-Oksenberg Lecture on Sino-American Relations.
Opgehaald van Brookings Institution: http://www.brookings.edu/research/
speeches/2013/05/14-sino-american-relations-bader
Daalder, I. H., & Destler, I. M. (2012). How National Security Advisers See Their Role . In J. M.
(editor), The Domestic Sources of American Foreign Policy (p. 209). Plymouth, UK: Rowan
and Littlefield Publishers.
Friedberg, A. L. (2005). The Future of U.S.-China Relations: Is Conflict Inevitable? International
Security, 7-45.
Office of the Director of National Intelligence. (2014). Organization . Opgehaald van http://www.
dni.gov/index.php/about/organization
Office of the Historian. (2010). US Department of State - Office of the Historian . Opgehaald van
National Security Act of 1947: http://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/nationalsecurity-act
ROTHKOPF, D. J. (2005, March 1). Inside the Committe Who Runs the World. Opgehaald van
Foreign Policy : http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2005/03/01/inside_the_committee_
that_runs_the_world
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aspx?id=8
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (2002). The 9/11
Commission Report. Washington, D.C. Opgehaald van http://www.9-11commission.gov/
report/index.htm
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gov/administration/eop/nsc/
Traub, J. (2012, October 10). The Biden Doctrine: . Opgehaald van Foreign Policy: How the vice
president is shaping President Obama’s foreign policy.: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/
articles/2012/10/10/the_biden_doctrine
Traub, J. (2012, August 13). The Pointguard. Opgehaald van Foreign Policy: http://www.
foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/08/13/the_point_guard
U.S. Department of Justice. (2014). About the Office of the Attorney General. Opgehaald van
http://www.justice.gov/ag/about-oag.html
U.S. Department of the Treasury. (2014). Duties & Functions of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Opgehaald van http://www.treasury.gov/about/role-of-treasury/Pages/default.aspx
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United States Congress. (1947). The National Security Act. Washington D.C. Opgehaald van http://
www.intelligence.senate.gov/nsaact1947.pdf
US Deparment of Energy. (2014). Mission. Opgehaald van http://energy.gov/mission
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Whittaker, A. G., Smith, F. C., & McKune, E. (2008). The National Security Policy Process: The
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the Armed Forces, National Defense University, U.S.Department of Defense.
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This guide is provided to help delegates prepare for their respective committees at EuroMUN. No rights may be derived from the information provided in this document, for any questions please contact your chair or the
EuroMUN Staff at [email protected] .
©2014 - All Rights reserved.
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