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Dealing with Fear: Implementing the Bush Doctrine of Preemptive Attack
Author(s) -
Dockrill Saki Ruth
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
politics and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.259
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 1747-1346
pISSN - 1555-5623
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-1346.2006.00017.x
Subject(s) - doctrine , preemption , terrorism , political science , legitimacy , law , islam , military doctrine , iraq war , politics , history , archaeology , computer science , operating system
In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the Bush Administration enunciated the doctrine of preemption, and implemented it by attacking Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. This article examines the dilemmas posed by the strategy of preemption and discusses how the Iraq war has so far failed to meet the test of legitimacy. It argues that the Iraq experience has weakened U.S. power, set back liberal internationalism, and placed the United States and its allies on the defensive in dealing with terrorists who espouse radical Islam, and with the volatile politics of the Middle East.