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December 05, 2004

The NeoCons vs The Founders

The idea of preemptive war is referred to as the Bush Doctrine. But, it's more accurately attributed as the Wolfowitz Doctrine, as Disinfopedia makes clear. It counts among it's chief advocates a veritable rogues gallery of NeoCons: VP Cheney, Sec. Rumsfeld and DOD ideologues Wolfowits and Pearle.

Here is the Bush administration's argument, in part, for preemption:

"We must be prepared to stop rogue states and their terrorist clients before they are able to threaten or use weapons of mass destruction against the United States and our allies and friends. Our response must take full advantage of strengthened alliances, the establishment of new partnerships with former adversaries...

What might the Founders of this great nation have to say about the Bush Doctrine?

Novakeo of Basement Cross assembled this partial list:

“Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence,… the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake; since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of Republican Government. But the jealousy to be useful must be impartial; else it becomes the instrument of the very influence to be avoided …Excessive partiality for one foreign nation and excessive dislike for another, cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one side… Real Patriots, who may resist the intrigues of the favorite, are liable to become suspected and odious; while its tools and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people, to surrender their interests.” George Washington

“The Nation, which indulges towards another an habitual hatred, or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave… to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest… Such a passionate attachment… produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary interest… where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter, without adequate inducement or justification…” George Washington

“The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible…” George Washington

“Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent Alliances with any portion of the foreign world…. Taking care always to keep ourselves, by suitable establishments, on a respectably defensive posture, we may safely trust to temporary alliances for extraordinary emergencies.” George Washington

“Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will [America’s] heart, her benedictions, and her prayers be. But she does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own…” John Quincy Adams

“Essential principles” of our nation: “peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none…” Thomas Jefferson

“Our first and fundamental maxim should never to entangle ourselves in the broils of Europe; our second never to suffer Europe to intermeddle in cisatlantic affairs.” Thomas Jefferson

Bottom line: There was no evidence that Iraq was capable of or interested in harming the United States with alleged WMD. Nor was there any evidence that Saddam was willing to give WMD to non-state terrorists.

Posted by Kevin at December 5, 2004 09:49 PM