We are finally witnessing the last days of the Bush administration. Many of us feared we would reach the final days of civilization before we saw the day the second Bush family president left office. It is fitting that we revisit the philosophy behind the administration, the logic or lack of, that attempts to justify the actions that so changed our world since the year 2000.
The document released in September of 2002 by the National Security Council entitled, "The National Security Strategy", is considered one of the foremost written examples of the "Bush Doctrine". It is not the only example, and many of the policies were formed behind closed doors, but it is a good place to start. All of the quotes are actual although some are not complete. We have had eight years to provide the context so it would seem to be fair to express these ideas in this manner. Many need no explanation, others have no explanation.
The document is filled with inconsistencies. It seems the administration based its policies and actions on the worst elements of the statement such as "preemptive self defense" and ignored ideas that would have spread dignity and freedom throughout the world. The hypocrisy is obvious in many of the quotes. The distance between ideals and reality is vast. There is more to be learned from the sound principles that were stated and ignored than those that were realized.
I add no further analyses, most all of us have personally experienced these last eight years, four of those years with a president appointed to office by the Courts. I believe these years have been a travesty and mockery of freedoms not only for the country but for the entire world. I don't believe the depth of ineptitude and willful wrongdoing has been achieved by any other president in my lifetime, including the Impeached One. It would take a thorough study of our entire history as a Republic to find his equal. I leave you with the following quotes and your own thoughts on the matter.
I. Overview of America's International Strategy.
"The militant visions of class, nation and race which promised utopia and delivered misery have been defeated and discredited."
"Our goals on the path to progress are clear: political and economic freedom, peaceful relations with other states and respect for human dignity."
"prevent our enemies from threatening us, our allies and our friends, with weapons of mass destruction"
II. Champion Aspirations for Human Dignity.
"America must stand firm for the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity: the rule of law; limits on the absolute power of the state;"
"History has not been kind to those nations which ignored or flouted the rights and aspirations of their people."
III. Strengthen Alliances to Defeat Global Terrorism and Work to Prevent Attacks Against Us and Our Friends.
"We make no distinction between terrorists and those who knowingly harbor and provide aid to them."
"Afghanistan has been liberated;"
"defending the United States, the American people, and our interests at home and abroad by identifying and destroying the threat before it reaches our borders. While the United States will constantly strive to enlist the support of the international community, we will not hesitate to act alone, if necessary, to exercise our right of self-defense by acting preemptively against such terrorists to prevent them from doing harm against our people and our country."
"While we recognize that the best defense is a good offense,."
"to rebuild Afghanistan so it will never again abuse its people, threaten its neighbors and provide a haven for terrorists."
"In leading the campaign against terrorism, we are forging new, productive international relationships and redefining existing ones in ways that meet the challenges of the twenty-first century."
IV. Work with others to diffuse Regional Conflicts.
V. Prevent Our Enemies from Threatening Us, Our Allies, and Our Friends with Weapons of Mass Destruction.
"Having moved from confrontation to cooperation as the hallmark of our relationship with Russia,.and cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism and missile defense that until recently were inconceivable."
.....describing rogue states."brutalize their own people and squander their national resources for the personal gain of the rulers; display no regard for international law, threaten their neighbors, and callously violate international treaties to which they are party; are determined to acquire weapons of mass destruction, along with other advanced military technology, to be used as threats or offensively to achieve the aggressive designs of these regimes; sponsor terrorism around the globe; and reject basic human values and hate the United States and everything for which it stands"
"we aquired irrefutable proof that Iraq's designs were not limited to the chemical weapons it had used against Iran and its own people, but also extended to the acquisition of nuclear weapons and biological agents."
"The overlap between states that sponsor terror and those that pursue WMD compels us to action."
"The United States has long maintained the option of preemptive actions to counter a sufficient threat to our national security. The greater the threat, the greater is the risk of inaction and the more compelling the case for taking anticipatory action to defend ourselves, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack. To forestall or prevent such hostile acts by our adversaries, the United States will, if necessary, act preemptively."
"We will always proceed deliberately, weighing the consequences of our actions."
"The reason for our actions clear, the force measured and the cause just."
VI. Ignite a New Era of Global Economic Growth through Free Markets and Free Trade.
"strong financial systems that allow capital to be put to its most efficient use."
"the best way to deal with financial crises is to prevent them from occuring."
VII. Expand the Circle of Development by Opening Societies and Building the Infrastructure of Democracy.
"Governments must fight corruption, respect basic human rights, embrace the rule of law, invest in health care and education, follow responsible economic policies and enable entrepreneurship."VIII. Develop Agendas for Cooperative Action with the Other Main Centers of Global Power.
"There is little of lasting consequence that the United States can accomplish in the world without the sustained cooperation of its allies and friends in Canada and Europe."IX. Transform America's National Security Institutions to Meet the Challenges and Oppurtunities of the Twenty_First Century.
"Intelligence-and how we use it-is our first line of defenxe against terrorists and the threat posed by hostile states."©2008 Gene DeNardo, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Monday, December 22, 2008
Last modified: Monday, December 22, 2008
The views expressed in this article are those of Gene DeNardo only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Gene DeNardo is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Report violation by Gene DeNardo of Nolan Chart LLC's terms of use policy.
| More Articles By Gene DeNardo |
Reader Comments:
Posted By: eduardo goldoni
Date: 2008-12-23 04:03:00
thank you for your opinion, Gene!
Posted By: Edu Montesanti
Date: 2008-12-24 02:02:43
Very timely article, Gene!! God bless us!