In revised version, Bush offers no second thoughts about preemption

[dajoki]

WP
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/15/AR2006031502297.html?nav=rss_politics

Bush to Restate Terror Strategy
2002 Doctrine of Preemptive War To Be Reaffirmed

By Peter Baker
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 16, 2006

President Bush plans to issue a new national security strategy today reaffirming his doctrine of preemptive war against terrorists and hostile states with chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, despite the troubled experience in Iraq.

<<snip>>

In his revised version, Bush offers no second thoughts about the preemption policy, saying it "remains the same" and defending it as necessary for a country in the "early years of a long struggle" akin to the Cold War. In a nod to critics in Europe, the document places a greater emphasis on working with allies and declares diplomacy to be "our strong preference" in tackling the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

<<snip>>

Such language could be seen as provocative at a time when the United States and its European allies have brought Iran before the U.N. Security Council to answer allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons. At a news conference in January, Bush described an Iran with nuclear arms as a "grave threat to the security of the world."

Some security specialists criticized the continued commitment to preemption. "Preemption is and always will be a potentially useful tool, but it's not something you want to trot out and throw in everybody's face," said Harlan Ullman, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "To have a strategy on preemption and make it central is a huge error."

A military attack against Iran, for instance, could be "foolish," Ullman said, and it would be better to seek other ways to influence its behavior. "I think most states are deterrable."

THE NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
FACT SHEET: THE PRESIDENT'S NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss/2006

[Jeffersons Ghost]

1. but his royal chimpness is a comedy of errors

just like his crooked party.

[IndyOp]

2. George W. Bush, please meet General Dr. Otto Ohlendorf...

"To prevent acts of genocidal barbarism, one must understand the mentality and reasoning of the murderers. The 22 defendants in the Einsatzgruppen case were selected on the basis of high rank and education—many held doctor’s degrees, six were SS generals. The principal defendant, General Dr. Otto Ohlendorf, patiently explained why his unit had killed about 90,000 Jews. Killing all Jews and Gypsies was necessary, he said, as a matter of self-defense. According to Ohlendorf, it was known that the Soviets planned total war against Germany. A German pre-emptive strike was better than waiting to be attacked. It was also known that Jews supported the Bolsheviks; therefore, all Jews had to be eliminated. But why did he, the father of five children, kill the little babes, thousands of them? The bland reply was that if the children learned that their parents had been eliminated, they would grow up to be enemies of Germany: long-range security was the goal. Ohlendorf lacked facts sufficient to challenge Hitler's conclusions. According to him, it was all very logical."

THE HOLOCAUST AND THE NUREMBERG TRIALS
From the UN Chronicle, December 2005
http://www.benferencz.org/arts/86.html

[dajoki]

3. who will not learn from those errors n/t

[Solon]

4. Who the hell thinks that Bush even had a first thought?

Seriously, Mister "No Thought" Bush really doesn't think things through the first time, so when does he have time for second thoughts if the first still haven't gotten through that thick head of lead.

[OneBlueSky]

5. why isn't the fact that this policy is patently illegal . . .

under international law causing the nations of the world to rise up and condemn the United States and George W. Bush? . . .

is the entire world THAT terrified of BushCo? . . .

terrified as in "terrorist" . . . or in "terrorist government" . . .

are George W. Bush & Company the world's most terrifying terrorists? . . .

so terrifying that the community of nations will let them do whatever the hell they want to do? . . .

and to whomever they want to do it to? . . .

sure seems that way to me . . .

[dajoki]

6. good question n/t