America as we know it is made up of many interrelated elements working together to achieve a common goal. An analysis of the surveillance programs adopted by the United States reveals that it uses only a few elements to establish a robust and somewhat authoritarian surveillance program. Using Stevenson's American Foreign Policy Toolkit, we are able to analyze in more detail what the United States is focusing on. The greatest tool the United States focuses on is its Intelligence Community (IC) capability, page 231 (Stevenson, 2012). The intelligence community is made up of 16 members whose actions are widely known, and an even larger number of whom are under suspicion. Hidden under a veil of secrecy, this community is widely blamed when unfavorable or damaging events occur in the United States, while keeping face when it succeeds. One of the "elements" of the IC, the CIA, has even been described as "the president's personal sword of power in foreign countries if all else fails, a sword he can use without first asking the Congress.” Having such a strong arm as a president can be extremely useful in many situations. However, through the collaborative efforts of each of these departments, we will sometimes hit a wall. With each intelligence agency accustomed to its own standard operating procedures, it can be quite difficult to collaborate with other "elements" unless someone pulls your arm. The largest and most publicized “element” is the National Security Agency. . The main objective of the NSA is to collect signals intelligence and break codes. One agency under the Department of Defense, the NSA, has only a small description in the toolbox, however; we know that they have only resurfaced very recently. They have always known... middle of paper ...... collect and process as much data about everyone, regardless of which country of origin they belong to. While the United States lacks diplomatic brilliance. , at least they retain their Cybersecurity mission page 263 (Stevenson, 2012). When Homeland Security was created, the Internet was seen as a new avenue of vulnerability. Especially since the United States relies heavily on the Internet to host and administer its infrastructure systems, such as water, gas, and electricity control systems. Leaving us wide open to an attack that could potentially disrupt our entire country in one fell swoop. Fortunately, the Obama administration has done something I appreciate and recognizes that cybersecurity is not something to be trifled with. With an ever-increasing budget, the government hopes to have a "full-spectrum military operation in cyberspace ».”.