Defending the Bush doctrine

In his speech today, President Bush recalled the warning signs to 9/11 that were for years treated as isolated incidents: the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, the bombing of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, and the attack on the U.S.S. Cole in 2000. After 9/11, the President said the U.S. transformed its approach to national security through moves such as the Patriot Act, Homeland Security Department, as well as the controversial military approach known as the Bush doctrine. The invasion of Iraq was the direct result of that approach and unlike the invasion of Afghanistan, it was opposed by much of the world. But Bush didn’t recognize his opponents today, but he did acknowledge big challenges ahead. He cited the challenge of asserting control in ungovernable areas, such as the border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Bush made references to unilateral military actions within Pakistan’s borders, if it will protect American interests. But it is U.S. unilateralism that has angered countries internationally after 9/11. It’s not clear how much unilateralism will shift with a new President and Obama has vowed to stay on the offensive in Afghanistan.