American Security Council Foundation

General information

The American Security Council Foundation (ASCF) was formed in 1958, and it was originally known as the Institute for American Strategy.

For over 50 years the Foundation has focused on a wide range of educational programs which address critical challenges to U.S. foreign policy, national security and the global economy. The ASCF has been credited many times with developing programs and strategies which were eventually adopted as the foreign policy and national security strategy of the United States.

The theme of the above mentioned Guidelines for Cold War Victory was praised by former President Dwight Eisenhower in a national radio address he recorded at ASCF's request. ASCF created the National Strategy for Peace Through Strength® in 1978 and has been cited numerous times with providing the overall theme for the administration of former President Reagan. He was kind enough to personally give us credit for this on several occasions, and said America won the Cold War on this doctrine.

President Reagan spoke of its significance by saying: "One thing is certain. If we're to continue to advance world peace and human freedom, America must remain strong. If we have learned anything these last eight years, it's that peace through strength works."

The ASCF has worked tirelessly to have the United States government publish an official National Security Strategy of the United States. This was first implemented by President Reagan in 1985, and all of his successors have been legally required to produce a similar document.

The most recent was unveiled at West Point by President Bush on June 6, 2002, and it is referred to by the news media as the "unilateral" or "preemption" strategy. While strategy development has always been one of our major tactics, the mission of the American Security Council Foundation is to promote the necessity of maintaining military, economic and diplomatic strength.