The Bush Doctrine of Pre emption and the US response after 9/11 attacks: Invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq

Abstract

The ‘War on Terror’ is the policy response of the US to the 9/11 attacks on US. President Bush strategy was devised to react and invade Afghanistan where Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda were under the so called protection of the Taliban government. The US pressurized Pakistan to abandon their support for Taliban and become the front line ally in the ‘War on Terror’. Most importantly the US National Security Strategy 2002 provided the justification for any preemptive action by the US, if the national Security of the US is threatened by any state or non state actor anywhere in the world. This strategic move and policy decision of the US foreign policy became known as the Bush Doctrine. The US being the only super power takes the responsibility and the courage to ensure the US National Security. Invasion of Iraq was purely pre emptive and without any legal or moral justification and was the test case for Neo conservative supported Bush Doctrine of pre emption. This article is an attempt to explain the Bush Doctrine and to analyze and find the rationale for the US policy of pre – emption in shape of an attack on Afghanistan in the name ‘War on Terror’.