Posted by
Rickey Braddam on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:14:46 AM
The Bush Doctrine is widely accepted to refer to the National Security Strategy report presented by President Bush in September of 2002. In section III of that paper you will find the following points listed:
- direct and continuous action using all the elements of national and international power. Our immediate focus will be those terrorist organizations of global reach and any terrorist or state sponsor of terrorism which attempts to gain or use weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or their precursors;
- 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; and
- denying further sponsorship, support, and sanctuary to terrorists by convincing or compelling states to accept their sovereign responsibilities. We will also wage a war of ideas to win the battle against international terrorism. This includes:
- using the full influence of the United States, and working closely with allies and friends, to make clear that all acts of terrorism are illegitimate so that terrorism will be viewed in the same light as slavery, piracy, or genocide: behavior that no respectable government can condone or support and all must oppose;
- supporting moderate and modern government, especially in the Muslim world, to ensure that the conditions and ideologies that promote terrorism do not find fertile ground in any nation;
- diminishing the underlying conditions that spawn terrorism by enlisting the international community to focus its efforts and resources on areas most at risk; and
- using effective public diplomacy to promote the free flow of information and ideas to kindle the hopes and aspirations of freedom of those in societies ruled by the sponsors of global terrorism.
In the second item of the list you will find the phrase "to exercise our right of self defense by acting preemptively against such terrorists". Some people will take that one phrase out of the whole document to represent the whole document. If those people were correct I submit that Iraq, Pakistan, and Iran would each have a multitude of places that glow in the dark by now.
There's also a
National Security Strategy 2006 linked from the White House website. Do (some) people call it the "New Bush Doctrine"? If not, why not? Surely there is at least one phrase in it they can pull out and rant about.
Speaking of ranting, I'm sure there are some who, if they read this, would rant about what I've written here and call me a "Bush Apologist" if not something much worse. Nothing could be farther from the truth. IMNSHO (in my not-so-humble opinion) George Bush is a traitor to the Constitution of the United States and to his oath of office. He failed - no, refused! - to perform the duties of his office which are mandated by the Constitution and he violated his oath of office. That's another rant and it's late soooo, wait for it.
/R