The American foreign policy of the 1990’s moves down the narrow channel between unilateralism and multilateralism. The assumption that these poles of foreign policy patterns are to be assigned to the two political parties cannot be supported. As we are able to see, the spectrum of foreign policy actions is conditioned by a large number of blocking and supporting factors. "The national interest" takes absolute precedence. In instances of doubt, in threatening situations or when asserting national values it becomes evident that bi-partisanship represents the general rule and the demand for diametrically opposed political alternatives the exception.
Concepts and theories of foreign policy can solely be regarded as a coordinated system of action possibilities, but they must never be understood as concise action clusters. The terms applied in this context define the conflict in which the players are involved
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June 16, 2008
ilyas m mohsin, ppp, Platinum Contributor (253)
The collapse of the Soviet Union at the hands of the Afghans with massive help from US/Pakistan ended the Cold War. In the unipolar world, the US found it difficult to define the 'New World order' due to its jubilation over avenging Vietnam. A bi-product of same was a far bigger reward of the dis-integartion of her arch-rival whose empire had raised an 'irn curtain' on half of Europe.
Bill Clinton was a highly educated, widely travelled American before he entered the White House. Moreover he did not face any serious challanges to the new status of the US as Russia cringed to its new misery and China was conscious of her situation. Monica Lewinski was as much a threat as the bombing of US embassies in Africa etc attributed to Al Qaeda/ OBL. Lobbing of a few missiles at the latter also diverted the attention of the people at home from the former.
Bush knew nothing of the sort. He had to depend on the perverse logic of the neo-cons. Ref 80 in the article speaks of humility but the way the 9/11 was tackled would remain a stain on US' fair name. With about 2 million people killed in Iraq/ Afghanistan and as those countries stand destroyed, no rational explanation can wash. This appears to have been
neither US 'national interest' nor co-existence, particularly after the recent disclosures which prove that WMD/ Iraq-Al qaeda connection, and now 'democracy' as explanation for such disasters were a hoax/ propaganda to mislead the, generally, credulous goodguys at home. While US is suffering, MNCs/ oil-lobby, private Contractors appear to have made $ billions through fair and foul means out of such tragic misadventures. Unfortunately what goes around, comes around and we should plan for the rainy day.