A Radical Shift in US Foreign Policy - Essay Example

A historical study is being attempted in this essay to bring out all the elements connected with American foreign policy and its relationship with other countries. Further, various aspects of foreign policy are analyzed here. It is seen that after the Second World War, the Cold War between USA and USSR contributed much to the formation of foreign policies in America. The two pillars of American policy at that time were deterrence and containment. After the fall of the USSR in 1991, America became the supreme power in the world.

As a powerful nation, it had to take clear-cut foreign policies and implement national security against the uprisings of different segments. But things changed soon. After 2000 America witnessed much damage to its national security. The attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon on September 11, 2001, made America think more about changing its foreign policy. The president of the time, George W. Bush, expressed the need for policy change through his set of guidelines, commonly known as ‘Bush’s doctrine.

His doctrine changed America's foreign policy from deterrence and containment to pre-emptive action against the terrorists. The present essay tries to find out how Bush’s doctrine acted as a great shift in America's foreign policy. ‘America now commanded a degree of power greater than anything recorded in all of human history. No one doubted this, nor did anyone imagine that any other country or group of countries currently existed with the capacity, or the will, to challenge American power.

’1 President Bush: His life, visions and Interests George W. Bush is the only President with an MBA in the history of America. He was born on July 6, 1946, in a political and business family in New Haven, Connecticut. Heron Marquez, in the biography of George W. Bush, says, ‘His grandfather was Prescott Bush, a United States Senator from Connecticut. Other relatives were bankers and Wall Street stockbrokers.’2 His father was George Herbert Walker Bush, America’s 41st President.

Their background in politics has made them successful in politics along with business. In 1994 he entered politics, becoming the governor of Texas. The election for the president in 2000 caused many struggles for him. He was not supposed to be the president by the popular vote, but with the court's help, he successfully became the 43rd president of America. In the election campaign, Bush stressed America’s foreign policy on maintaining peace. ‘He summarized his plans by saying, “I will renew the bond of trust between the American president and the American military.

I will defend the American people against missiles and terror. I will begin creating the military of the next country.”3 Bush's speeches given during the campaign were mainly on matters of the American economy, education, and personal aspects. Even though much was not mentioned regarding the foreign policy, he had clearly stated his idea of renewing the American military and maintaining high protection for America. In the first few months of his position as the President, he was equipping himself with governance techniques. Julian E. Zelizer says that Bush, in certain cases, “appeared to be exactly the conservative that the right-wing had hoped for” and that in the first few months, there was no ‘clear trajectory on foreign policy before 9/11.