The 21st Century Road to Hell is Paved by Unproven Political Theories

Let us not be mistaken, the pre-emptive Iraq War is part of a larger geo-political strategy put forth by the neocon think-tank Project for the New American Century (see link in Blog title). It is no coincidence that key architects of the Iraq War were signatories to the June 3, 1997 Statement of Principles. These people include:

- Elliott Abrams - Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director on the National Security Council for Near East and North African Affairs
- Vice President Dick Cheney
- Paula J. Dobriansky - Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs
- Dr. Zalmay M. Khalilzad – current Ambassador to Iraq
- I. Lewis Libby – former Chief of Staff and assistant for National Security Affairs to the Vice President and presidential advisor (currently under indictment by the US Department of Justice)
- Peter W. Rodman, currently Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
- Paul Wolfowitz – former US Deputy Secretary of Defense.

The Project's Statement of Principles point to a policy of pre-emptive military involvement in world affairs. “America has the vital role of maintaining peace and security in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. If we shirk our responsibilities, we invite challenges to our vital interests. The history of the 20th century should have taught us that it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge, and to meet threats before they become dire. The history of the past century should have taught us to embrace the cause of American leadership.

Our aim is to remind Americans of these lessons and to draw their consequences for today. Here are four consequences:

• we need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future;

• we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values;

• we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad;

• we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles.

Such a Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity may not be fashionable today. But it is necessary if the United States is to build on the successes of this past century and to ensure our security and our greatness in the next.”

This groups underlying and operative assumptions appear to be that neo-con theorists have a crystal ball that enables them to know who to attack, when to attack, how to attack, and how the conflict will turn out. As we are seeing every day, their mad dash to war in Iraq is creating a less stable Middle East and threatening US economic security. Further, the demands for unquestioning loyalty and squashing of alternative views from the likes of Richard Clarke, Scott Ritter, Joe Wilson, and various military officers to name a few, threatens American democracy.

Fortunately, other American leaders are beginning to stand up and defend our tradition of Democracy. At times like this it is important to keep perspective and remember the hopeful words of Harry S. Truman, "No government is perfect. One of the chief virtues of a democracy, however, is that its defects are always visible and under democratic processes can be pointed out and corrected."

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