Decision 2012: President Obama at nuclear summit in South Koreay

President Barack Obama Tuesday was in Seoul , South Korea, for a summit on controlling the spread of nuclear arms around the world. The president said he believes the United States has a "moral obligation" to act and lead the world in reducing nuclear stockpiles.

Class discussion: At the summit, the president said United States and Russia could not realistically work out their dispute over an American missile defense system this year because politics during the presidential campaign would make it impossible to win support for any compromise. Find news reports on how campaign politics can impact foreign policy. What issues have already come up in the campaign? With ever-longer campaigning, how does election politics help or hinder efficient operations of government?