AO1: Constitution specifically confers these powers on the president. AO2: This gives presidents the mandate to determine foreign policy AO3: which can then be used to set the tone for international relations throughout their term of office, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president. AO1: Presidents can send/remove troops from conflict zones without waiting for congressional approval. AO2: There is little that Congress can do to restrain a president AO3: even if they should have the right to authorise troops, e.g. Obama bombing of Libya, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president. AO1: Presidents negotiate international treaties. AO2: This allows presidents to pick and choose which treaties to sign, so setting the agenda for US foreign policy AO3: and can gain considerable power from a treaty that is popular with the public that Congress may have disapproved of, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president. AO1: Presidents can also make executive agreements. AO2: Executive agreements can be used to bypass Congress AO3: as Congress may face considerable pressure to support such agreements with a popular president, especially near election time, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president. AO1: There are few constitutional limits on the power of the president in relation to foreign policy. AO2: Presidents are considered to be the head of state with regards to foreign policy and Congress- especially the House of Representatives are less likely to intervene in this matter AO3: especially in a time of united government or with policy that matches the dominant ideology in one/both chamber, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president.

AO1: Foreign policy such as deployment of troops can be hindered by congressional refusal to allocate funding. AO2: This gives presidents the mandate to determine foreign policy AO3: which can then be used to set the tone for international relations throughout their term of office, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president. AO1: Constitutional limitations may be few, but do exist such as the Senate must ratify treaties. AO2: There is little that Congress can do to restrain a president AO3: even if they should have the right to authorise troops, e.g. Obama bombing of Libya, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president. AO1: Other powers are more significant, e.g. executive orders. AO2: This allows presidents to pick and choose which treaties to sign, so setting the agenda for US foreign policy AO3: and can gain considerable power from a treaty that is popular with the public that Congress may have disapproved of, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president. AO1: Another more significant power is the ability to nominate Supreme Court justices. AO2: Executive agreements can be used to bypass Congress AO3: as Congress may face considerable pressure to support such agreements with a popular president, especially near election time, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president. AO1: The presidential power to persuade may also be more significant. AO2: Presidents are considered to be the head of state with regards to foreign policy and Congress- especially the House of Representatives are less likely to intervene in this matter AO3: especially in a time of united government or with policy that matches the dominant ideology in one/both chamber, which suggests that control over foreign policy is the most significant power of the president.