9/21/2021

9/11, The Bush Doctrine, Blowback, Palestine

Bush Doctrine (George W. Bush Jr), New first time ever foreign policy doctrine; United
States can begin a war even though it has not been attacked. Known as concept of pre-
emptive strike.
Us went into recession during Bush Jr's administration, he hadn't done much to address
it, was seeming like a one term president. 9/11 gave him relevance he didn't have
before
Blowback, from US wars two at the same time in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the center is a
foreign policy issue.
Harper's index 2007; % Pakistanis and Indonesians who say that attacks on civilians
are sometimes justified to defend Islam; 8
% of Americans who say attacks on civilians are sometimes justified; 24
Al Qaeda (Afghanistan-Pakistan)
Why would US attack Iraq? "Iraq had" Weapons of mass destruction (wmd's) Iraq had
nothing to do with 9/11 at all, became priority of Bush administration
US took over and guarded oil fields. Did not guard antiquities. Historical heritage was
stolen and sold on black market.
Osama bin laden with very small military influence in Afghanistan, money spent in
recent years increased on war there.
Us thought it would be state building. Critics say they should have started here.
Taliban offshoot of ISIS offshoot of al-Qaeda
Sunni, Shiite difference in Muslim. Elected leaders couldn't tell the difference between
the two types. Sunni and Shiite don't like each other, Taliban and ISIS K dislike each
other. Taliban thinks ISIS is extreme (doesn't mean Taliban is moderate)
Iran is former Persia, but Iran is not Arab
Use Guantanamo bay to bring prisoners and not put them on trial to avoid US law. 3
dozen prisoners there and have never had trial.

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 Bush doctrine of pre-emptive strikes outsources prisoner torture; used same torture
technique that the Japanese were put on trial for after WWII
Muslimi
Testimony on Muslimi in front of senate from Yemen, he got a scholarship to America
and he learned how the us had treated the village he was raised in and take out
someone on terrorist watchlist in his city. Muslimi has a problem with this because no-
one knew this guy was a target. That meant anyone could have been with him when he
was struck. Only Civilians were killed and so were children. The village knew this was
happening, and all the soft power the us saved up for and send a drone overnight and
suddenly all of the villagers are against the United States.
No-one could sort out what success looked like for the US using soft power or hard
power.
soft power, arch naval ship off the coast of a country.

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