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http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1031119490443&p=1012571727162 Financial Times September 19, 2002 New US policy paper to advocate pre-emption By James Harding and Richard Wolffe -The document is being billed as a watershed in US foreign policy, akin to the NSC 68 paper that set out the Truman doctrine of containment and deterrence half a century ago. -The paper is likely to pick up on the president's reference to "axis of evil" countries - Iran, Iraq and North Korea. There has also been discussion of including references to other areas of concern, such as Syria and Libya, according to defence officials. -The paper, which will consider the US role in Nato, is expected to stress the responsibility of developed countries in tackling threats posed by outlaw regimes. President George W. Bush will on Friday present a military and foreign policy doctrine for the US as it faces the uncertainties of terrorist threats and rogue states. As America grapples with the responsibilities of unprecedented global power, the national security strategy is expected to advocate a policy of pre-emptive action as a form of self-defence. The strategy will be the first time the US has articulated its military and foreign policy objectives in an era defined by the end of the cold war and the emergence of the kind of terrorist attacks of September 11. The document is being billed as a watershed in US foreign policy, akin to the NSC 68 paper that set out the Truman doctrine of containment and deterrence half a century ago. The new policy of pre-emption - while only one option among many in dealing with emerging threats - was first advocated by Donald Rumsfeld, US defence secretary, in January as he outlined plans for the transformation of the US military in the continuing war on terrorism. In testimony to Congress this week, Mr Rumsfeld has cast pre-emptive strikes against Iraq as an act of self-defence, comparing the mounting threat posed by Saddam Hussein with intelligence warnings about terrorist attacks before last September. However it was President Bush himself who argued that containment and deterrence were no longer sufficient in tackling terrorists and "unbalanced dictators" in a speech to the US military academy at West Point in June. The 30-page national security paper will consider the full range of foreign policy-making tools at Washington's disposal, ranging from economic assistance to the development of alliances. The paper has been pulled together by Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, with increasing input from Mr Bush himself, officials said on Thursday. One of the most significant chapters is expected to address the transformation of national security institutions. This is expected to include emphasis on the improvement to US intelligence operations. Reflecting the public shift within the administration to emphasise the importance of international efforts to ensure peace and stability, one section of the strategy paper is expected to focus on building and sustaining alliances. The paper, which will consider the US role in Nato, is expected to stress the responsibility of developed countries in tackling threats posed by outlaw regimes. The national security strategy is intended to outline the broad principles of US diplomacy and military deployments, but it will mention several specific countries which are a cause of concern. The paper is likely to pick up on the president's reference to "axis of evil" countries - Iran, Iraq and North Korea. There has also been discussion of including references to other areas of concern, such as Syria and Libya, according to defence officials. The White House is expected to stress the president's interest in securing peace in the developing world by economic means: "enlarging the circle of development and prosperity". Pentagon and State Department officials have been stressing that the reference to pre-emption is not new. "The notion that you do not want to start counting the bodies before you start defending yourself is something we have believed for a long time," one official said. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes http://finance.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
