On The Plight Of The Bush Administration Counter-terrorism Strategy

Since the September 11th attack, the Bush Administration has listedanti-terrorism as one of his top priorities. With the implementation ofits preemptive policy in combating terrorism, the Bush Administration hasnevertheless been caught in a great dilemma. This thesis exploits hisanti-terrorism strategy in terms of the current international background,content, difficulties and developing trends.The first part mainly discourses upon the background of theanti-terrorism strategy of the Bush Administration after September 11thattack. But terrorists are still at large and terrorism incidents happenone after another, which takes on new characteristics and trends. Whilethe United States has become the main target, and increasingly livesunder the threat of terrorism. Thus the US regards anti-terrorism as thecore of its national security strategy.Based on the background, the second part fully discusses the contentof its strategy. The Bush Administration has mapped out the goals of theanti-terrorism strategy and carried it out from both domestic and overseasfrontlines. Internally, it sets up new anti-terrorism organizations,enhances the legislation of anti-terrorism and reshapes its intelligenceagencies. Externally, the US also strengthens contacts with its coalition,steps up international cooperation in intelligence and economic fieldsand promotes its own democracy and American values.Following it is the dilemma of the anti-terrorism strategy of theBush Administration. The dilemma is expressed in three aspects:enlargement of the goal of the anti-terrorism has diluted its originalintention;unilateralism and pre-emptive strikes appear not to beeffective policies;double standard of anti-terrorism does not accordwith the principle of the emphases of the strategy.The last part chiefly expounds the developing trends of theanti-terrorism strategy of the Bush Administration. The strategy willstill regards the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) asthe most dangerous threat against American security, and insists onapplying pre-emptive strikes, and strengthens the promotion of itsdemocracy and anti-terrorism cooperation to walk out of the dilemma.