National interests and national security -- The conflict spectrum and the American way of war -- The US political system -- The president and the presidency -- The policy triad and the National Security Council -- The military establishment -- Civil-military relations -- The intelligence establishment -- The policy process -- The president and Congress -- Empowering the people -- Who's who in the international system -- Long-range issues of national security -- National security and nuclear weapons -- Making the system work -- The study of national security : the presidential mandate.