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 Newest National Security Strategy Is an Elaboration of the OldPosted on Jun 8, 2010The Obama administration has at last issued its own National Security Strategy, a 52-page document that takes the place of the strategy statements published by the George W. Bush administration, beginning in 2002. The Bush statements were notable for their belligerence in proclaiming America’s policy priority to be the “defeat” of “terrorism”; for their assertion of unilateral pursuit of American interests; for determination to pre-empt by war any threat to the United States; and for seeing a need to prevent the emergence of any rival superpower. These Bush documents expressed both anger at the wound inflicted on the United States by al-Qaida and a reassertion of triumphalism not heard since the defeat in Vietnam. They were primarily military in tone at a time when the global American military base system was being developed. America was a nation “at war”; Bush was “a war president,” but the war he and his administration waged came to resemble the one implanted in their consciousness by the colossal error of the late Samuel Huntington in asserting that the “next world war” would be a war of civilizations—actually, his grandiose extrapolation of the war between Israel and the Arabs. The Israelis were invested with the honor of embodying Western civilization, while Arabs, who make up only a fifth of the world’s Muslims, were conflated with all the world’s Muslims, most of them actually Asians and Africans. The new Obama administration document was received by its critics as one in which an Obama-esque expression of liberal idealism cloaked the actual militarism of his unaccountable presidential-campaign enthusiasm for “the right war” in Afghanistan, in contrast to the war in Iraq. The latter seemed to be winding down, with all its sectarian and regional conflicts left unresolved. The task of setting up a government in Baghdad unifying Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, with the American superpower looming over the region, has been left for another day, which may never come. The “right war” then proved to be more of a wrong war than even the Iraq conflict, more difficult to “win” than Gens. Stanley McChrystal and David Petraeus, with their “clear and hold” refurbishment of classic anti-insurrectionist strategy, seemed to expect. They have found that they could “clear,” since the Taliban were quite willing to make way for them to move into a contested area—but, by a steady reapplication of pressure, the Taliban made it impossible for them to stay. Advertisement In each of these earlier cases NATO troops, usually accompanying Afghan government troops (nearly always ethnically non-Pashtun, in predominantly Pashtun regions), attempted to rally the residents to recognize and cooperate with the U.S.-sponsored central government in Kabul—a step in the U.S. policy of establishing democracy in unlikely places. In each case they failed, usually not because the people of the area were Taliban sympathizers but because they did not like foreigners interfering in their lives, and they called in the Taliban to help rid them of this intrusion. From their arrival in the Korangal Valley until their departure earlier this year, 42 U.S. soldiers had been killed, and “hundreds” wounded, mostly during the 2006-2009 period. Gen. McChrystal is quoted by The New York Times as having concluded that the attempt to hold these valley outposts did more to create insurgents than defeat them. This can scarcely be a surprise. The more recent, and important, case of American interference with local arrangements in Afghanistan has, of course, been the so-called peace jirga of traditional leaders and elders recently called by President Hamid Karzai, in which he issued an appeal for a cease-fire and peace with the Taliban. This has been ferociously opposed by the American authorities in Afghanistan because the only condition on which the Taliban would discuss such a solution is that foreign forces leave the country. One might think this a reasonable proposal, if the government agreed, conveniently fulfilling President Barack Obama’s promise to withdraw all American and NATO forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2011. However, the jirga was condemned by U.S. officials, and contemptuously called a gathering of Karzai’s dependents and cronies (which may have been so; but so what?). What followed was Karzai’s dismissal of two of his three top security officials (ostensibly because they had failed to prevent an attack on the jirga, but according to other reports because they were considered American collaborators). There is, in short, a struggle going on between the Afghan president and the American authorities in Afghanistan, in which President Karzai thinks that he can bring an end to the war. The Americans contend that this would mean a surrender to the Taliban—but much more important than that, that it would end the American role in Afghanistan, and presumably in Pakistan as well. Even though Obama, in his introduction to the new National Security Strategy document, writes that America cannot allow the burdens of the 21st century to “fall on American shoulders alone,” he similarly cannot accept that the United States deviate from the globalist ambitions emphasized in the published strategies of both the Bush and Obama administrations. In the final year of the Bush administration, Condoleezza Rice defined this as “to change the world, and in its own image.” President Obama’s new strategy statement is an elaboration of how this is to succeed. Visit William Pfaff’s website for information on his latest book, “The Irony of Manifest Destiny: The Tragedy of America’s Foreign Policy,” at www.williampfaff.com. © 2010 Tribune Media Services Inc. CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment |
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By samosamo, June 12, 2010 at 6:53 pm Link to this comment
****************
w’s whole concept of defeating terrorism is as just like the
vacuum of outer space. The idea of defeating terrorism is a
blanket term for american hegemony and as of now one of the
most important ways of actually stopping the american global
imperial endeavors would be to very thoroughly, precisely, and
diligently investigate the attacks of 9/11 AND the reasons for it.
Anyone that can read will see that the ‘project for the new
american century’ is the basic blue print and in that blue print
the phrase ‘need a new pearl harbor’ defines what the whole
would create an almost unshakeable reason for the u.s.a. to act
as it is now acting, except when complete investigation of 9/11
is done and the truth of a homegrown terrorist attack is purely
american made.
And direct attention really needs to be made of all think tanks
Report thisand the criminal ideas that have come out of them for the
benefit of the very few elite whose idea of ruling the world are all
wrapped up in those think tanks. This is where the most
insidious plans are created and hatched to come to what is here
now.
By jean Gerard, June 11, 2010 at 2:34 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
“America cannot allow the burdens of the 21st Century to fall on American
shoulders alone? Give me a break!”
The burdens of the 21st Century are largely due to the foreign policies of
America during the 20th Century, and naturally, they are falling on our
shoulders—but to little or no avail, sad to say. We still haven’t even admitted
them—rampant exploitation of the world’s resources, impressment of small
countries into assuming huge debts under the guise of “Free Trade” and
“privatization” with subsequent squeezing off of social safety nets, etc. And of
course, to round out the triad, some 400 military bases poised to dominate the
world with overpowering weaponry and dictate terms at the point of a nuclear
bomb, and two wars going on 24/7 for oil and glory.
Too many Americans believe what they want to believe, not what is happening
Report thisin fact. They actually prefer lies to truths—and so they get lies. That way they
sit down and shut up, and the madness goes on. They actually believe they are
exceptional—good guys going about the world doing the right thing for
everybody, kind, charitable, generous, honest.
By Old Man Turtle, June 11, 2010 at 12:02 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
“Drink responsibly.” That schizoid oxymoron pretty well sums-up the impossible dream put-forth as Obama’s strategic “vision”. A little bit of corn-sweetener makes the neocon Koolaid go down?
Report thisBy Peter Knopfler, June 11, 2010 at 9:20 am Link to this comment
Well written article, please read TALIBAN by Ahmed
Report thisRashid, indispensable for the understanding of
Taliban the region, religion and all the players
invloved and how they got to be the players from the
Madrassas of Pakistan refueling the Taliban of
Afghanistan. How to get Muslims to kill other Muslims
when paradise is the end desire. For a Jew to kill
another Jew This is a BIG CRIME! We can fight, argue,
hurt each other but never Kill. Suicide bombers to
kill either Sunni or other Shiite, we dont kill our
Hasdic, orthodox Jews, my family, you kill to defend
but to kill another Jew does t come to mind. Jews
hate to fight, except for me, bouncer in night clubs
21 years, romanced violence, I can still do 40
minutes on heavy bag, I grew up with the Mantra Never
Again, I was gifted with a large body, lifted at 13,
never stopped 43 years of lifting, have my own gym
and library. YMHA, body mind and spirit.
Humanitarianism also stems from Slavery. Slavery
gives one a different perspective, the attitude of
see yourself in others, then whom can you harm be
harmless..the Buddha! America is like baseball
sacrifice plays a large part of the game in getting
ahead for someone. Sacrifice your own to win. Is 911
self inflicted wound like the Lusitana or vietnam,
are we being fooled by our own. TIME will tell all!
rember America left POW with Stalin, left POW in
Vietnam, its hard to be AMERICAN!
By mike112769, June 9, 2010 at 7:45 pm Link to this comment
There is no such thing as a “right” war. All war is evil. Our interference in the MidEast has created more terrorists than Osama ever dreamed of. We need to bring all of our troops home, from everywhere around the world.
Report thisBy cheyennebode, June 9, 2010 at 8:00 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
BUSHS DOCTRINE OF KEEPING OTHER COUNTRIES FROM BECOMING
Report thisSUPER POWERS IS EVIDENCE OF HOW MEGALOMANIA WAS THE FUEL THAT
RAN THESE MADMEN AND FOR OBAMA TO CONTINUE THIS FOOLISHNESS
WOULD BE AN IGNORANT DECISION•••OBAMA IS NOT A STRATEGIC
THINKER AND HE IS RELYING ON TIRED OLD MEN TO DO HIS THINKING••
By bogi666, June 9, 2010 at 3:05 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
rollzone, FYI. I’ll pass onto you what I learned, their is no irregardless, it’s just regardless.I’m not trying to be a wise ass, just passing the correction on.
Report thisBy JDmysticDJ, June 8, 2010 at 7:08 pm Link to this comment
When evaluating our elites, in all fields: Sports, entertainment, business, politics, etc. They all seem to be superficial, and simple minded. Many average Americans seem to be of better moral character than our leaders. There is something very wrong with our society. This supposed meritocracy system is turned on its head. A society ruled by those who lust for wealth and power (i.e. individual success) is bound to be immoral and decadent. Those who sacrifice their integrity for personal success, tilt the playing field in their favor. When those who lack integrity rule a nation, that nation will lack integrity.
Is there a single solution for the myriad of problems that confront us? Yes, but that solution would require a universal paradigm shift in thought. Perhaps working to solve our problems without sacrificing our personal integrity will lead us progressively towards a new paradigm.
Or maybe we should just kill those a$$#0les who lack our integrity. That’ll get’er done A.S.A.P.
Report thisBy rollzone, June 8, 2010 at 6:19 pm Link to this comment
hello. how weird is reality? security strategery resembles globalist objectives of an already bygone era. oil economies have destroyed more countries and disproportionately distributed the wealth amongst the fewest minorities of elitists, yet his advisers teleprompter more of the same. it would not be unusual at this apex of his tenure, to adjust many positions currently occupied by his closest advisers. not only does he not speak with BP officials -he shows up on the beach looking as if he has never seen sand before. growing up in Hawaii must have included getting sand between his toes. other global superpowers, basing their economies upon alternative energy solutions, are inevitable outcomes; irregardless of us throwing wrenches in their machines. a strategy of cooperation, and open channels of humanitarian development, might end the terrorist> insurgency growth /debacle. global military domination can be accomplished from home, with intelligence abroad. we do not require a web of interconnected bases around the world. with the new drone wars, we could launch from bombers that do not need to land. this whole militarily ‘remake the world in our image’ while we have the advantage, is juvenile. it is, and will continue destroying: every aspect of our society; for as long as it proceeds -as usual. we have the potential, by example, to remake the world in an image of glorious achievement, if we would bring America back to where we belong -home. our strategy should be bring America home. bring back the industries, bring back the schooling, bring back the principles, and bring our soldiers home. first show the world that America is healthy, robust, invigorated, inspired, determined, and competent at everything- and then show the world how to be more like us. our strategy should never throw the average American under the buss. our strategy is we, the people of America, together make up our world: and we feel free to share it with you. we are who we are because of how we live. how the average American is living, is an important strategy to project upon the world. he needs to look at what more of the same is doing to the American people, and change this strategy.
Report this