The Bush Doctrine : Creating Discord in International Security

The Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive strike, as outlined in The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, invites abuse and sets a dangerous precedence for other countries to follow. The National Security Strategy was created in September 2002. The report outlines principles that will guide American foreign policy. The strategy states that the right to defend should extend to pre-emptive attacks against potential aggressors, cutting off a planned or perceived attack before it occurs. The pre-emptive strike policy is a component of what is known as the Bush Doctrine. Because there is no clear definition of what entitles a "sufficient threat to [U.S] national security", the Bush Doctrine invites abuse in its implementation. Due to the United States implementing and justification of the Bush Doctrine in Iraq, a dangerous precedence has been set for future conflicts. This doctrine may be applied to conflicts in India-Pakistan and North Korea, among others. Instead of using the previous strategies of deterrence and containment, the new Bush Doctrine is built upon the concept of aggression and confrontation. This will undoubtedly lead to an escalation in conflicts and a less secure global community. This paper will first look at the components of the National Security Strategy: its principles and aspects of its formulation. The paper will then look at the implementation of the National Security Strategy in Iraq: the arguments used for its justification, its outcome and precedence through a content analysis of public speeches from the Bush Administration justifying the war. Finally, this paper will apply the principles of the Bush Doctrine to the conflict between India and Pakistan in nuclear South Asia. The analysis of the Bush Doctrine to these countries will show how these countries may launch a pre-emptive strike, under the principles of the Bush Doctrine and the precedence set in Iraq. The three parts of the paper will ultimately prove that The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, more specifically the Bush Doctrine, can easily be abused and will lead to greater conflicts around the world