During the Usan attack on Iraq, some Bush supporters asked in a forum : "What does "Neocon foreign policy” mean?" They implied that there existed no such thing. I answered along the following lines:
"Well ... it's not that complicated:
Does "Neocon" mean anything to anyone? Yes? No? If not, this is it in a nutshell: "As a rule, the term refers more to journalists, pundits, policy analysts, and institutions affiliated with the Project for the New American Century etc". For a more thorough explanation you may to check out Wikipedia about it. It's presented quite well:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_(United_States)
How about "foreign policy"? Does that mean something to you guys? In any case, that one is easy: "A foreign policy is a set of political goals that seeks to outline how a particular country will interact with the other countries of the world."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_policy
Still nothing? Still confused? Still wondering if there is such a thing as a Neocon foreign policy? Well ... see if the following helps. Below are the Neocon's basic statements of ... principles (so to speak:)) from their project for "a New American Century" aka the Neocon manifesto of 1997. These characterise Neocon foreign policy ... very precisely ... in their own words:
" • we need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future;
• we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values;
• we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad;
• we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles."
And THAT is basically it!
And now, here is my understanding of the above:
1: Neocons seek ... a "significant increase of defence spending" in order to carry out "global responsibilities"
I'm sure that these responsibilities must have to do with international law, human rights, the environment ... you know ... that kind of thing. Neocons are obviously seeking to become something between Amnesty International, Médecins Sans Frontières and Greenpeace!But of course! What Neocons mean by their "responsibilities" is made quite clear by an apparent requirement to first engage in a ... "significant increase of defence spending"! Because, historically, every time somebody launched into militarism .... it was for humanitarian reasons! :)
2: They seek ... to "Challenge" regimes hostile to their "interests and values".
This basically means that these guys will try to use the above "significant increase of defense spending" to eventually attack countries where they don't like the governments. You see ... these governments might not share Neocon "interests and values" ... and even ... you know ... have their own interests and values. The nerve! "Invasion or regime replacement or whatever is in order! ... Hey, we've gone hypermilitary ... we've got more weaponry than everybody ... Who's going to stop us?"
And finally:
3: They seek to (this is an especially good one) ... "Accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles"
Translating: "We are sooo special! Other government may be suject to International Law, but we, on the other hand ... we have have a "unique role". Yep, that's the ticket!
And what is that "unique role"? Well ... "preserving and extending an international order friendly to their own security, their own prosperity, and their own principles.
Right, then! Quite unique. Governments rarely see themselves as having a special role to play in promoting their own security, their own prosperity, and their own principles? Nope! And so, the Neocons are quite justified by their ... "unique role" ... in disregarding any contraints on their activities.
Just keep in mind that Bin Laden is another one who thinks that he has a "unique role" to play in preserving and extending an international order friendly to his own security, his own prosperity, and his own principles!
And so ... I don't know how you guys see this but to me the above statements represent as clear an evidence of a plan to engage in criminal activity on a global scale as I have ever seen put down on paper. And this basically represents the principles of ... tadah ... "Neocon foreign policy"!
It's like something from a James Bond movie ... only that the nutcases trying to take over the world ... are on our side this time ... our allies !!!
Weird!
Now, I may make light of this whole matter … but this is real stuff … as in it is happening right now … and it is deadly serious. Many tens of thousands of people have already died as a result of this Neocon ideology (a majority of them Iraqi citizens). And I just think that you should be made aware of it. So later, you won’t be able to say:
“We didn’t know!”
Cheers!
