Lecture 26: “Mission Accomplished” May 26, 2010

Bush: War on Terror (To joint session of Congress, 9/20/01) videosearch?q=bush%20speech%20%202001%20joint%20session&ie=UTF- 8&oe=utf-8&rlsiurl= videosearch?q=bush%20speech%20%202001%20joint%20session&ie=UTF- 8&oe=utf-8&rlsiurl= videosearch?q=bush%20speech%20%202001%20joint%20session&ie=UTF- 8&oe=utf-8&rlsiurl= videosearch?q=bush%20speech%20%202001%20joint%20session&ie=UTF- 8&oe=utf-8&rlsiurl=

Bush-Cheneyism: The 2002 National Security Strategy The United States possesses unprecedented— and unequaled—strength and influence in the world. Sustained by faith in the principles of liberty, and the value of a free society, this position comes with unparalleled responsibilities, obligations, and opportunity. The great strength of this nation must be used to promote a balance of power that favors freedom. The United States possesses unprecedented— and unequaled—strength and influence in the world. Sustained by faith in the principles of liberty, and the value of a free society, this position comes with unparalleled responsibilities, obligations, and opportunity. The great strength of this nation must be used to promote a balance of power that favors freedom.

“Our Enemies” In the 1990s we witnessed the emergence of a small number of rogue states that, while different in important ways, share a number of attributes. These states: brutalize their own people and squander their national resources for the personal gain of the rulers; 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; 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; 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 sponsor terrorism around the globe; and reject basic human values and hate the United States and everything for which it stands. reject basic human values and hate the United States and everything for which it stands.

On Pre-emption “In the Cold War…we faced a generally status quo, risk-averse adversary. Deterrence was an effective defense. But deterrence based only upon the threat of retaliation is less likely to work against leaders of rogue states more willing to take risks…To forestall or prevent such hostile acts by our adversaries, the United States will, if necessary, act preemptively.”

Containment of Iraq

Making the Leap Neo-cons used 9/11 to sideline realists Neo-cons used 9/11 to sideline realists “Axis of Evil:” Iraq, Iran, North Korea, 1/02 “Axis of Evil:” Iraq, Iran, North Korea, 1/02 States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic. States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic.( National Security Strategy, 9/02 National Security Strategy, 9/02 Intelligence wars: CIA vs. “Office of Special Plans” ( in existence September 2002 to June 2003) Intelligence wars: CIA vs. “Office of Special Plans” ( in existence September 2002 to June 2003) Media campaign, fall 2002-spring 2003 Media campaign, fall 2002-spring 2003(

What Were They Thinking? Dictatorship  terrorism Dictatorship  terrorism Democracies peaceful, pro-US Democracies peaceful, pro-US Domino theory Domino theory Intimidation of “evil” states Intimidation of “evil” states Reputation Reputation Eliminate al-Qaeda’s grievances Eliminate al-Qaeda’s grievances