Case 184 - The War Powers Resolution and U.S. Policy in Lebanon, 1982-1984

Auger, Vincent A.

This case study examines the contentious debate between the Reagan administration and Congress over the deployment of U.S. Marines to Lebanon between 1982 and 1984. It can be used to explore the domestic politics of U.S. foreign policy, stimulate discussion concerning the appropriate roles of Congress and the executive branch in making foreign policy, and examine the utility of the War Powers Resolution as a constraint on presidential autonomy in foreign and defense policy. This case can also be used as a complement to “The Reagan Administration and Lebanon” (Case Study 133).