The Bush Doctrine
Terrorism has been one of the biggest problem being faced by the international community nowadays. Different countries, either rich or poor countries have at some point experienced the wrath of terrorism, whether at the local or international level. And as such the administration of United States’ current president George W. Bush has pushed further to address the issue of terrorism.
As a response to the terrorist aggressions, the Bush administration came up with strategies and plans to intensify and strengthen the United States’ defense system against their aggressors. The Bush Doctrine, which is also includes the “National Security Strategy of the United States” has been declared as the country’s official foreign policy. Most of which encompassed strategic plans to suppress terrorism and legitimate Bush’ actions in implementing retaliation and aggression measures against suspected terrorist groups.
The Bush Doctrine has spurred different sets of reactions related to the statements and plans released by the president through the doctrine. Some people approved Bush’ decisions to intensify the aggression against suspected terrorists, while a number of people expressed disapproval and contest against the contents of the doctrine.
The Doctrine
The Bush Doctrine encompasses the fields of economy, politics and military. The past occurrences in these fields have put the American government in a bad light. Criticisms have been directed with the United States’ role as the world superpower. And as such, the Bush Doctrine is an attempt by the Bush administration to reshape America’s role in the international community (“The War Behind Closed Doors,” 2003).
The Bush Doctrine refers to economics, politics and military as three separate but integrated entities that if united within the tenets set by the United States government can be utilized as a powerful tool in regaining their position in the international community. As such the Bush Doctrine campaigns for the strengthening the relationships within the international community by ensuring economic ties, development of individual societies and provision of protection against ‘enemies’ (“The National Security Strategy of the United States of America,” 2002).
Economic growth as Bush believed meant the integration of different economies towards international cooperation. It meant strengthening of free trade relationships and establishment of the free market. If international economic cooperation will be ensured, then global economic growth will be achieved not only for the United States, but the other participating countries as well.
Bush believed that having a strong world economy will also translate into enhancing the country’s national security. Economic growth will provide for new jobs with high incomes. This will eventually emancipate people’s condition and lessen the poverty incidences. In turn, people who are satisfied with the government and the economic conditions will make people resist corruption, and thus will reinforce people to embrace liberty and peace rather than violence and insurgency (“The National Security Strategy of the United States of America,” 2002).
On the other hand, the victorious emergence of the United States from the Cold War emphasized the need to create allies and friends within the international community. The collapse of the Soviet bloc resulted into a transformation that prompted an increase in the security environment. The rise of different rogue states became quite alarming and as such, the United States government had felt the need to secure the Americans and other democratic country from the possible aggressions that might occur (“The National Security Strategy of the United States of America,” 2002).
The Implementation
In order to successfully implement the Bush Doctrine, the American government recognizes the need towards harnessing international cooperation. The United States government believes that embracing democracy and the rule of law will guarantee national security, not only for the United States but as well as other countries. Bush believed that democratic countries will not seek any fight with other democratic countries, and as such if other states will adopt democracy, then the world will be ensured to become peaceful (Houle, n.d).
Regional crisis have brought a number of problematic issues, given the interconnectedness of the current world system. Thus, a conflict in one independent state can translate to animosities between allies, intensify rivalries and contribute to the possible horrors against human dignity. And as such, according to the Bush Doctrine, the United States government must work hard in order to strengthen its ties with other countries to eliminate regional conflicts. In line with this, concerned states must be active in engaging in regional disputes in order to minimize the effects of such conflicts. To simplify things, the Bush Doctrine suggests that minimizing the effects can be attained by immediate response and avoidance to conflicts (“The National Security Strategy of the United States of America,” 2002).
In line with ensuring national security for the international community, it is relevant that different countries and states to be sheltered against threats from rogue states, terrorists and weapons of mass destructions (WMDs). These threats can be eliminated through the implementation of cooperation in preventing such destructive attacks. There are strategies as suggested by Bush which if properly implemented can undermine the utilization of WMDs against innocent states: (1) through “proactive counterproliferation efforts,” the United States government will be allowed to defend their country even before the actual attack has been launched. This includes the detection of such weapons, come up with active defenses and enable counterforce capabilities. (2) Nonproliferation efforts can be enhanced by preventing terrorists and rogue states from gaining access to materials and technologies which can be used to spread fear and discord among the people. (3) The United States must make sure that its government is always ready to respond to the consequences that will be brought by the use of WMD against the people (“The National Security Strategy of the United States of America,” 2002).
One of the most prominent implementation of the Bush Doctrine is the announcement of the United States’ “war against terrorism.” When the United States waged war against terrorists, it meant that their allies must also do the same. As Bush had strongly believed that the strength of international security is only attainable with the cooperation of democratic states around the world, Bush suggested that every country must participate in combating the effects of terrorism and terrorists themselves. As such, Bush hinted that any country had only two choices – either to support the United States’ war on terror, or to disapprove of it and shall be regarded as an enemy.
National security, as previously stated, encompasses not only the military and defense sector but also entails stability in the area of politics and economics. As such, equal priority must also be attributed to the country’s economy in order to reap positive reinforcements from the entire international community. The Bush Doctrine intends to promote economic growth by intensifying a new era directed towards global economic growth. This goal can be attained through the implementation of a more specific and intensive plans for free markets and free trades.
The responsibility of ensuring market and economic growth is placed on the government’s ability to cope with the difficulties that can be experienced along the tough competition within the international market. And as such, the Bush Doctrine has provided ways in which the American market can be equipped in coping with such challenges imposed before them. The primacy of Bush Doctrine lies behind their willingness to further highlight and strengthen their economic ties and engagement with other states. As Bush had always mentioned, international cooperation is the key towards ensuring progress and growth.
In line with this, the Bush Doctrine has outlined several tasks and policies at which the Bush administration has intended to implement in order to gain economic advantages that shall ensure higher productivity for the people and shall sustain economic growth for the entire country. According to the Bush Doctrine, it is necessary that pro-growth legal policies must be carried out to attract business investors to engage in the country, while allowing more innovative and advance entrepreneurial activities to take place. Bush also intends to lower the tax rates which his administration believes can serve as incentives for people to work harder. Sound business policies will also be implemented by the Bush administration, which will favor the goals and objectives of the majority. These in turn can boost the economy, at the same time, the Bush administration pushes towards having an economic environment that harnesses trust and confidence from the business players and the people themselves which can further ensure their enthusiasm to partake in economic activities (“The National Security Strategy of the United States of America,” 2002).
One of the most prominent foreign economic policies that Bush pushed through in the National Security Strategy is the American government’s strong desire to promote free trade . Free trade during the past and until the present has always been a useful tool in further extending their influences and control in other countries. Given the United States distinct economic superiority compared to other countries, the United States government has always been able to use this advantage to put other economies under their control.
As Bush has seen the immense power of market economies as relatively stronger and more capable of promoting market growth than command and control economies, the Bush Doctrine concluded that it is the best way to reduce the poverty level and promote economic prosperity in return.
Thus under the Bush Doctrine, free trade has become a moral principle and one of the most powerful pillars of economics. In further promoting free trade, the Bush Doctrine included the following which the Bush administration believed can greatly help in advancing the country’s economy: (1) seizing global initiative which meant leading the way in getting individual countries involved in foreign trades; (2) hold press regional initiatives which was carried out through the creation of the Free Trade Area of Americas which targets negotiations and provision of economic opportunities for poorer countries in the region; (3) pursuance of bilateral free trade agreements which aimed at connecting economies of developed and developing countries; (4) renewing and strengthening the partnership between the executive and congressional bodies ; (5) further promoting the relationship between trade and development by implementing trade policies that can be translated towards economic and social development; (6) enforcing sound trade agreements while ensuring that there are laws to protect the citizens from unfair practices; (7) extend a hand in the promotion of domestic industries and provide an arena for workers’ adjustment; (8) ensure provisions for the protection of environment and workers; and (8) enhancement of energy security (“The National Security Strategy of the United States of America,” 2002).
In addition to the economic and military plans, the Bush Doctrine also included plans aimed at promoting organization coalitions to ensure balance of power within the international community. Sustained cooperation among developed and developing countries will ensure peace and stability in the international arena. Thus, it is an imperative that cooperative action must be ensured in order to maintain balance, stability and growth.
Implications of the Doctrine
The Bush Doctrine is undoubtedly one of the most prominent and threatening documents ever passed in the history of the United States. The implications that the Doctrine has left amongst the lives and communities that were affected by its implementation, rather made the international community to become reluctant on the effectiveness, soundness and usefulness of the doctrine (Chomsky, 2004).
The Bush Doctrine has also reflected the history of wartime wherein the United States had been involved. The Doctrine has spoken of the American experiences of war, race for world power and supremacy, and the American dominance in the fields of economics, politics and military (Breach, 2008). The United States had always been in search for power and control. As such, the United States government had always involved its forces in military disputes. Military, political and economic supremacy had always been the United States government’s way of ensuring control over less developed states.
On the current period, the Bush administration has used the terrorist attacks against the United States grounds in order to legitimize their policies unleashing the “war on terrorism.” The United States utilized public fear against future terrorist occurrences in order to gain support behind the policies that the Bush Doctrine has sought to launch (Browne, 2004).
The war on terrorism provided the United States with two elements which enhanced the Bush administration’s search for control and power. First, terrorist attacks were used to direct threats and in turn encourage the government’s retaliations against such threats. Second, Bush used this as a war between good and evil. And as such, any attempt to raise contest and disapproval against the United States will be treated as a resistance in helping the international community towards attaining peace and stability.
However, those who have always been critical of the Bush administration and the entire course that former United States have taken, have concluded that the United States has once again chose to enter this critical stage in the international society as a means to control other less developed states. The Bush Doctrine, as critics believed is a foolproof that the United States has always searched to extend their superiority further. The triumph of the United States forces and their allies in the first and second world wars and in the Cold War pushed the American government to become more fierce and aggressive in imposing their control over other countries.
Indeed, the Bush Doctrine has been clearly one of the most influential, controversial and dominating documents that the United States government has agreed to implement. As such, the contents of the Bush Doctrine as adopted in the United States National Security Strategy gathered a number of diverse opinion from critics and concerned groups. It collected positive and negative publicities which both made the doctrine distinctively popular in the international community. Thus, this calls for the people to become more critical in accepting laws and policies being imposed. Though it may seem that such laws are being pushed for the benefit and security of the majority, people must be keen in understanding the underlying purposes of such laws, doctrines and documents in order to properly assess the rationality and effectiveness of any policies imposed on people.
References
Breach, J.E. (2008). The Bush Doctrine. Socyberty. Retrieved August 14, 2008, from http://www.socyberty.com/Politics/The-Bush-Doctrine.113278
Browne, H. (2004). The Bush Doctrine: Selective Bullying. LewRockwell.com. Retrieved August 14, 2008, from http://www.lewrockwell.com/browne/browne9.html
Chomsky, N. (2004). Understanding the Bush Doctrine. Information Clearing House. Retrieved August 14, 2008, from http://www.chomsky.info/articles/20041002.htm
Houle, L. (n.d) The bush doctrine. Bush Doctrine. Retrieved August 14, 2008, from http://bushdoctrine.org/
The National Security Strategy of the United States of America. (2002). The White House. Retrieved August 13, 2008, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss2.html
The War Behind Closed Doors. (2003). Frontline. Retrieved August 13, 2008, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/iraq/etc/synopsis.html
