White House Releases National Security Strategy

FOX ^ | 9/20/02

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

The White House released its new national security strategy Friday, setting out President Bush's policy of taking pre-emptive action instead of trying to deter or contain hostile states and terrorist groups.

"The United States can no longer solely rely on a reactive posture as we have in the past," the new 33-page document reads. "We cannot let our enemies strike first."

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss.html


Link to Doc.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The National Security Strategy of the United States of America
Table of Contents

Introduction

 

1. Overview of America's International Strategy
2. Champion Aspirations for Human Dignity
3. Strengthen Alliances to Defeat Global Terrorism and Work to Prevent Attacks Against Us and Our Friends
4. Work with others to Defuse Regional Conflicts
5. Prevent Our Enemies from Threatening Us, Our Allies, and Our Friends with Weapons of Mass Destruction
6. Ignite a New Era of Global Economic Growth through Free Markets and Free Trade
7. Expand the Circle of Development by Opening Societies and Building the Infrastructure of Democracy
8. Develop Agendas for Cooperative Action with the Other Main Centers of Global Power
9. Transform America's National Security Institutions to Meet the Challenges and Opportunities of the Twenty-First Century

    PDF Version of The National Security Strategy of the United States of America

[austingirl]

"cannot let our enemies strike first" "act pre-emptively"

How refreshing!

[r9etb]

The document emphasizes creating "a balance of power that favors human freedom" and "supporting moderate and modern government, especially in the Muslim world, to ensure that the conditions and ideologies that promote terrorism do not find fertile ground in any nation."

I think this line will be of particular interest to the Chinese. Their antipathy to Christianity and the Falun Gong is evidence that they're already worried about such changes.

[VaBthang4]

Might as well drop this in here before they overwhelm this one...

[r9etb]

From the preface:

The great struggles of the twentieth century between liberty and totalitarianism ended with a decisive victory for the forces of freedom—and a single sustainable model for national success: freedom, democracy, and free enterprise. In the twenty-first century, only nations that share a commitment to protecting basic human rights and guaranteeing political and economic freedom will be able to unleash the potential of their people and assure their future prosperity. People everywhere want to be able to speak freely; choose who will govern them; worship as they please; educate their children—male and female; own property; and enjoy the benefits of their labor. These values of freedom are right and true for every person, in every society—and the duty of protecting these values against their enemies is the common calling of freedom-loving people across the globe and across the ages.

That says it all.

[finnman69]

Any questions as to differences between Bush and Gore?

[A Navy Vet]

Boy, is this going p.o. the peaceniks and Libertarians.

[Maceman]

"We want there to be a strong United Nations. The United Nations must be more than a debating society. We don't want the United Nations to become the League of Nations. We want the United Nations to have backbone and enforce its resolutions and doctrines and mandates," Bush said.

I am very uneasy about what this position will lead to when next we have Democratic traitors in the White House.

[JohnGalt]

Strange, this doctrine is far more Wilsonian in rhetoric than it is Conservative.

[scalia_#1]

In other words: "If a dog makes a dash for my trousers, I shoot him down before he can bite."

[marron]

I've read part of it. So far I like it. Its like he's been listening to the voices inside my head. Or maybe the voices in my head have been talking to the voices in his head.

Maybe they met for a round of golf and some brews.

I'll reserve judgement until I see what it means in its application. I'm not happy about giving much legitimacy to the UN and other failed alliances, but I'll give him a chance to see who wags who.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

My first-pass take is that the Bush administration is in full "transformation" mode - similar to what Rumsfeld has been doing at the Pentagon. Essentially, aligning our intelligence, military, and foreign relations strategy with our national security interests - all based on post-Cold war conventional and non-conventional threats.

The Clinton administration should have been doing this back in the 90's but Slick was pre-occupied with cigars and sinks.

[Magnum44]

Pay attention to section IX. This section specifically outlines what you can expect to see coming out of the next National Military Strategy Review and, subsequently, the defense budget requests in the coming years.

FYI, if you don't already know, this document is very important. It sets the goals and tone for all the agencies below NCA. Each agency (DoD, DoS, CIA, FBI, INS, FAA, etc, etc) will be required to review/update its own Policies and Strategies to support those outlined in the National Security Strategy. Over time, policies from previous admins National Security Startegies that are contrary to those here and still being implemented by the lower levels of govt will run head on into the mandates of this this document. It has wide ranging impact that will bring smiles to many on this forum, though patience is required as the wheels of govt turn slowly.

[skeeter]

I am very uneasy about what this position will lead to when next we have Democratic traitors in the White House.

I'm hoping its lip service, as the rest of the document stresses America acting in America's interests, which increasingly means in opposition to the UN's position.

[DLfromthedesert]

I hope he strengthens the INS and ENFORCES border security. Without that, may as well tear the whole thing up.

[VRWC_minion]

I am very uneasy about what this position will lead to when next we have Democratic traitors in the White House.

The wording is such that Bush is claiming all the UN is is a debating society, which is as irrelevant as the league of nations. Its just spun using a positive tone so that he cannot be accused of going it alone.

[J. Semper Paratus]

Nice Policy. It's about time.

Say, isn't this following the "America First" theme shared by Pat Buchanan?

I wonder how much looking into the eyes of the poor loved ones who lost the thousands of relatives in the 911 murders changed Bush.

[muleboy]

So "Might makes Right" is now official U.S. policy?

Have we gone from "Don't Tread on Me" to "Don't even think of trying to acquire the means to tread on me"?

I wonder who is spinning in their graves more, the Founders or Ike Eisenhower?

Certainly Lincoln must be smiling his beard off.