ipl-logo

Examples Of Neoconservatism In Iraq

872 Words4 Pages

Introduction For the last thirty years, the Middle East has been a hotspot for armed conflict and political unrest. In fact, the region has witnessed regimes that have collapsed by foreign intervention and others overthrown by their own people. The invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003 were the most controversial of these events as their legality has been questioned and the fact that the reasoning behind the war has been based on inaccurate intelligence and a non-existing threat. Despite the fact that the war itself was a brief affair, Iraq quickly fell into a military insurgency, political disorder, and uncertainty of what the future holds (MacMillan, 2005, p. 1). In this paper, I argue that neoconservatism was the driving force behind …show more content…

For neoconservatives, a peaceful and orderly world is one which depends on “American omnipotence and leadership” (Schmidt & Williams, 2008, p. 195). In other words, when the international order is at risk, American hegemony is the only reliable defense and American power would be beneficial for the United States as well as the world. (Schmidt & Williams, 2008, p. 195). Also, in comparison with the concept of the balance of power, neoconservatives consider American hegemony as superior in maintaining and achieving American national interests (Schmidt & Williams, 2008, p. 196). More importantly, neoconservatives see the unipolar world after the collapse of the Soviet Union as a perfect period in international relations for the United States and that a return to a multipolar world with a balance of power will be a threat to American security and interests (Schmidt & Williams, 2008, p. 196). According to John Mearsheimer, an American political scientist, the key to understanding the importance of American hegemony and an unparalleled military strength for neoconservatives is the fact that they “believe that international politics operate according to bandwagoning logic” (2005). In fact, neoconservatives think that through “big stick” diplomacy, weaker countries will join the United States’ “bandwagon” when it is threatening or attacking its enemies and the fact that other countries will not get in the path of the United States’ interests (Mearsheimer,

Show More
Related

Ap Us Foreign Policy Dbq Essay

1094 Words | 5 Pages

In the aftermath of WWII, the US stood as one of the few powers relatively unharmed, as well as the sole nation in possession of nuclear weapons. This afforded the US a great degree of power and leadership in the world. However the USSR was another great power that managed to avoid much destruction from the war, and besides being ideologically opposed, matters were complicated after the USSR developed nuclear weapons for itself. This prompted the formulation of a new foreign policy. Document 7 states that the US “must organize and enlist the energies and resources of the free world in a positive program for peace which will frustrate the Kremlin design for world domination.”

Read More

Compare And Contrast Reagan And Carter

1267 Words | 6 Pages

This meant that the United States should try to develop and maintain world order in a world which was bipolar military wise and multipolar political wise. States that acted out of their traditional interest would be punished by other states to demonstrate that violation of the “norms of international conduct” would not be tolerated(106). Stabilizing international

Read More

National Security Council 68 Dbq Essay

745 Words | 3 Pages

The second document highlights the National Security Council 68, a central document of the Cold War that laid out the strategic foundation for American foreign policy after the devastating decline of western European powers during World War II left the United States and Soviet Union as the dominant nations. The National Security Council argues that the Soviet Union poses a threat due to “being animated by a new fanatic faith” in communism to impose “absolute authority over the world” (Doc 2). This type of behavior is anti-ethical to the American values, so the fight between America and the Soviet Union was inevitable. The document outlined possible responses of isolation, diplomatic efforts to negotiate, or the rapid buildup of strength of

Read More

Andrew Bacevich's The Washington Rules

1587 Words | 7 Pages

America with open arms has accepted the role of the world’s police. It could be argued that it created the role for itself. That is the premise of Andrew Bacevich’s Washington Rules. Bacevich discusses over sixty years of American Foreign Policy, from Truman to now, to explain the premise of the “Washington Rules.” The Washington Rules is about American militarist belief that Americans must “lead, save, liberate, and ultimately transform the world”, this could only be accomplished by an idea described by Bacevich as “the sacred trinity”.

Read More

What Is The Shock Value Of Republic Of Fear By Makiya

1006 Words | 5 Pages

The author argues that there is something intrinsic to Ba’th party that led to their decisions on what to do when they came into power in Iraq.

Read More

Cold War Dbq

2024 Words | 9 Pages

Upon the demise of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman took over office with little to no background in political education or knowledge of the events following WORLD WAR II involving the “Big Three”; Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Josef Stalin. After World War II America was booming technologically and economically. This set up the new President, as well as the American government and people, to feel superior to the rest of the world. The postwar foreign policy of the United States “is characterized…by a striving for world supremacy” and the belief that the “United States has the right to lead the world” (Novikov). The United States acted in a way of self-righteousness and believed that because they were booming after World War II that they had the right to then be the one and only powerhouse of the globe, and so they acted in a way that made sure all other countries were aware of this fact.

Read More

Annotated Bibliography: The Military Escalation In Iraq And Syria

1380 Words | 6 Pages

The Editorial Board argues that the escalating American military forces in the Syrian war will only result in the U.S. being sucked into a war in the Middle East. The authors adds that the current administration has little legal framework or strategy for dealing with the Islamic State with even no declaration

Read More

A Rhetorical Analysis Of Niebuhr

1542 Words | 7 Pages

With great power comes great responsibility. That of moral, political and economic power has divided America into three different selections. That power must be managed and not push upon other countries and their views… we must be strong in our political moves, military gains, and economic growth. Which in turn scared our “ally” friends into believing we will take over there the way of life and turn it into an American way of

Read More

The Bush Crusade: A Military Analysis

124 Words | 1 Pages

In the present we are confronted with the daunting task of figuring out how to deal with the terrible aftermath of the Bush Crusade. Difficult strategic decisions will have to be made about how to resolve the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We must give up our crusading idealism in order to make good decisions. We must admit that there will probably be no good short-term outcome in these conflicts. The human task is not to create a perfect world.

Read More

Ronald Reagan's Character And The Application Of Neo Conservatism

1896 Words | 8 Pages

A critical perspective reveals that in fact, his foreign policy was defined primarily by prudence, pragmatism and appreciation for the balance of power in a bi-polar world (Buchanan, 2004; Kaufman, 2011; Lawry, 2005). The label which suits him best is arguably ‘pragmatic libertarian’. In placing Reagan’s foreign policy within a set framework, the wider political theory must first be established. Conservatives see American power as a force for good, aggressive use of power should only be used in defence of the national interest but they differentiate between “targeted, focused and limited” action (Krauthammer 2004, 17), not as the neoconservatives see it, a world crusade. Conservatives support freedom and liberty, some with modest enthusiasm, the Old Right, and others pushing freedom to the extreme, libertarians.

Read More

Shouldn T Be Underestimated

1743 Words | 7 Pages

He begins by stating, “The international system is not static. It responds quickly to fluctuations in power.” (2) If the United States cuts its defense spending, other nations influence will rise while U.S. power declines. Thus, a new balance of power and sphere of influence will emerge in areas of the world. (2)

Read More

Did America Cause The Cold War?

1078 Words | 5 Pages

The U.S.’s belligerent desire for the world to be

Read More

Independence Day Film Analysis

1335 Words | 6 Pages

The same is evident in the film, Independence Day, as sharing the critical vulnerability that other countries can use to overcome the alien invasion would benefit American interests abroad (Desch 17). Considering the position that the United States assume in the film, a notable theme that arises relates to the notion of ‘soft power’. Evidently, ‘soft power has the potential of occupying a distinct position in the nation’s foreign policy. To an extent, such is possible based on the manner that the country is positioned in the normative struggle on the role that the US plays in the World system (Eriksson and Norman 425). It is argued that ‘soft power’ that the United States had amassed, the popularity of the American culture and the attraction of it played a part in the nation’s victory in the Cold War.

Read More

The Liberal Internationalism: The Invasion Of Iraq

1446 Words | 6 Pages

The invasion of Iraq echoes the ideological view of Woodrow Wilson, immediately following World War I. In Wilson’s opinion, his Liberal Internationalism was a cure-all end-all to conflicts between nations. His matrix of diagnoses and prescriptions

Read More

What Are The Causes Of World War I Essay

541 Words | 3 Pages

World War I had many reasons to why it occurred; yet there are four most important range causes of World War I. It was believed to bring glory and peace to all countries, but they thought. With the end of World War I, many things had changed including innovation. Imperialism, economic rivalry, military, and nationalism were the four long causes; the immediate cause was the assassination, furthermore the automatic Machine Gun, tank, submarine, airplane, poison gas and mask where innovated, however all of this could of been avoided if the assassination had not occurred, and Germany had not start stuff. Otto Von Bismarck believed that those lands that were linked in some way to Germany, like if they had German speaking people, that they should

Read More

More about Examples Of Neoconservatism In Iraq

Related Topics

Open Document