Bush's "First Strike" Doctrine
by Bill Berkowitz

OAKLAND - Ironically, the 47-page document that outlines a

Bush is a failure. R-E-S-I-G-N.

Bush's "First Strike" Doctrine
by Bill Berkowitz

OAKLAND - Ironically, the 47-page document that outlines a series of
"successes" and "extraordinary progress in the expansion of freedom,
democracy, and human dignity" since 2002 makes few references to the one
issue that most clearly defines the Bush presidency -- the war in Iraq.

However, it confirms that the U.S. is involved in a long-term war
against terrorism -- a war it believes it is winning -- considers

strikes against countries that might threaten the U.S., as outlined in

a legitimate response, and singles out Iran as the country posing the
"greatest challenge" to the U.S.

In a letter introducing the National Security Strategy (NSS), Pres.
Bush said: "The ideals that have inspired our history -- freedom,

and human dignity -- are increasingly inspiring individuals and nations
throughout the world... We choose leadership over isolationism and the
pursuit of free trade and open markets over protectionism."

"We choose to deal with challenges now rather than leaving them for
future generations. We fight our enemies abroad instead of waiting for

to arrive in our country. We seek to shape the world, not merely be shaped
by it; to influence events for the better instead of being at their

According to the White House, the NSS, which "explains how we are
working to protect the American people, advance American interests,

global security, and expand global liberty and prosperityà.[rests] àupon

pillars":

"The first pillar is promoting freedom, justice, and human

working to end tyranny, to promote effective democracies, and to extend
prosperity through free and fair trade and wise development policies."

"The second pillar of the strategy is confronting the challenges of
our time by leading a growing community of democracies."

The National Security Strategy asserts that the "war on terrorism"

a protracted struggle, and, "In the short run, the fight involves using
military force and other instruments of national power to kill or capture
the terrorists, deny them safe haven or control of any nation, prevent

from gaining access to weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and cut off

sources of support."

"In the long run, winning the war on terror means winning the battle
of ideas, for it is ideas that can turn the disenchanted into murderers
willing to kill innocent victims," it adds.

And in a nod toward a possible strike against Iran, which was

referred to the U.N. Security Council for refusing to abandon its nuclear
programme, the NSS states that the U.S. is "committed to keeping the

most dangerous weapons out of the hands of the world's most dangerous
people".

The report reinforces the importance of the World Trade

so-called Doha Development Agenda, as well as regional and bilateral free
trade agreements.

And it calls for developing "agendas for cooperative action with the
other centres of global power". According to the NSS, unlike the
"ideological struggles of the 20th century which saw the great powers
divided by ideology as well as by national interest.... the struggle

militant Islamic radicalism is the great ideological conflict of the early
years of the 21st century finds the great powers all on the same side --
opposing the terrorists."

"Given the goals of rogue states and terrorists, the United States

no longer solely rely on a reactive posture as we have in the past," it
asserts. "The inability to deter a potential attacker, the immediacy of
today's threats, and the magnitude of potential harm that could be caused

our adversaries' choice of weapons, do not permit that option. We cannot

our enemies strike first."

The release of the National Security Strategy comes at a time when

administration is being buried by an avalanche of bad news, both at home

abroad. Despite having launched yet another series of speeches aimed at
winning the U.S. public's support for his Iraq venture, the president's

ratings continue to plummet, having recently hit the lowest numbers of his
presidency.

The administration has also come under heavy fire from Congress for
supporting a now-collapsed deal that would have handed over terminal
operations at six U.S. ports to a Dubai-based company, giving an opening

Democrats gearing up for the midterm elections here to attack Bush on
national security.

And a poll released Wednesday by the University of Maryland's
Programme on International Policy Attitudes found that just 28 percent of
respondents were confident that the U.S. will succeed in its aims in Iraq,
down from 40 percent 18 months ago.

On Monday, in remarks that appeared to disagree with the assessments
of other administration spokespersons, Bush said that, "By their response
over the past two weeks, Iraqis have shown the world that they want a

of freedom and peace. We're helping Iraqis build a strong democracy so

old resentments will be eased and the insurgency marginalised."

Interestingly, the NSS was released only days after Knight Ridder

Service pointed out that the U.S. military "have dramatically increased
airstrikes in Iraq during the past five months, a change of tactics that

foreshadow how the United States plans to battle a still-strong insurgency
while reducing the number of U.S. ground troops serving here."

On Thursday, the Pentagon launched its largest air campaign against
the Iraqi insurgency since the 2003 invasion, targeting a "suspected
insurgent operating area" northeast of the city of Samarra with more than

aircraft and 1,500 U.S. and Iraqi ground forces.

Earlier this week, Gen. John Abizaid, the Army general overseeing

military operations in Iraq, told a House of Representatives subcommittee
that he could not rule out the possibility that the U.S. would maintain a
permanent military presence in the country.

"Clearly our long-term vision for a military presence in the region
requires a robust counter-terrorist capability," Abizaid told the House
Subcommittee. "No doubt there is a need for some presence in the region

time primarily to help people help themselves through this period of
extremists versus moderates."

Abizaid also pointed out that the United States and its allies have

vital interest in the oil-rich region. "Ultimately it comes down to the

flow of goods and resources on which the prosperity of our own nation and
everybody else in the world depend," he said.

At a speech today to the U.S. Institute of Peace, Stephen Hadley,

president's national security advisor, said that, "The doctrine of
preemption remains sound and must remain an integral part of our national
security strategy."

Hadley added: "We do not rule out the use of force before the enemy
strikes."

Copyright © 2006 IPS-Inter Press Service

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Bush is a failure. R-E-S-I-G-N.