In the U.S. government, the National Security Council (NSC) is the most important formal institution for the creation and implementation of foreign and defense policy. Drawing from a variety of resources, Fateful Decisions presents a collection of seminal articles, essays, and documents on the NSC. It covers such key topics as the rise of the National Security Advisor to a position of prominence, specific challenges to the NSC, and the role of the NSC in a post-Cold War environment.