 
on receiving this report from the ambassador, the secretary of state 
decides to send a memo to the president. 
he thinks that the president should be kept informed because your arrest 
may turn into a major incident. 
the president, through a special assistant, may answer this memo and 
suggest to the state department what ought to be done to get you out of 
prison. 
actually, it is the president who has chief responsibility for conducting 
foreign relations and determining foreign policy. 
he has great power. 
he can draw up treaties with other governments. 
he names ambassadors to foreign countries. 
as commander in chief of the armed forces, he can send troops into 
countries that he feels threaten the united states. 
however, the president pays attention to only very important matters. 
he expects the state department to carry out most foreign relations. 
during the next few days american newspapers pick up the story and spread 
it in headlines across the nation: american youth secretly held. 
congressmen make strong speeches denouncing the foreign government. 
one hot-headed legislator even urges the president to use force against 
the offending country. 
congress has some say in our foreign relations. 
all treaties that the president draws up with other nations must be 
approved by a two-thirds vote of the senate. 
the senate has an important foreign relations committee that keeps the 
legislators informed as to what is happening. 
also, congress decides how much money the president may spend in 
conducting our foreign relations. 
the constitution says that only congress can declare war. 
