ABSTRACT
Edwin S. Corwin described the sharing of foreign policy powers between the president and the Congress in the Constitution as "an invitation to struggle for the privilege of directing American foreign policy." In sharp contrast to the immediate post-World War II period on Capitol Hill, foreign policy issues are open to all. In the post-Vietnam, post-Watergate period, rank and file members have access to information, staff resources, and personal expertise not available to their predecessors. They also see political benefits from taking highly visible leadership roles on foreign policy issues such as Central America and arms control, which were not as readily available in earlier days. The foreign policy game is so open that virtually anyone who wants to can play. Because many do, the demands on an already overloaded system result frequently in stalemate and paralysis. Particularly with respect to the Third World, arms transfers are among the most significant instruments of US foreign policy.
