Dr Lamont Colucci, author of Crusading Realism: The Bush Doctrine and American Core Values After 9/11 and National Security Studies Coordinator at Ripon College analysed the Bush Doctrine in foreign policy during the Bush years, showing its historic roots in the United States and argued that the next president is likely to follow a similar pattern of enlightened self-interest.
The foreign policy pursued by President George W. Bush since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 has attracted much controversy and condemnation. He has been accused of presiding over a 'revolution' in United States grand strategy, but is this really the case? Dr Lamont Colucci argues that the Bush Doctrine's philosophical foundations are deeply rooted in American history. Characterising the Doctrine as a 'Crusading Realism', Dr Colucci contends that the Bush administration's post-9/11 national security strategy 'returns the United States to the very cornerstone of American values, the ideas of the Declaration of Independence and natural law.' He reasons that the Bush Doctrine, as a strategy that blends 'pragmatic realism and idealistic fervor', is wholly consistent with past American foreign policy practice. Moreover, Dr Colucci suggests that those hoping for a dramatic strategic shift in U.S. foreign relations after Bush departs the White House will be disappointed, as the next president is likely to maintain the fundamental tenets of the Bush Doctrine.
Dr Lamont Colucci is the author of the recently published Crusading Realism: The Bush Doctrine and American Core Values After 9/11. He is Assistant Professor of Politics and Government and National Security Studies Coordinator at Ripon College. He was previously a diplomat with the U.S. State Department and holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of London. Dr Colucci is a well known speaker and lecturer and has enormous depth of knowledge regarding foreign policy, security issues, history, and current events particularly as they pertain to China, Korea, Japan, Europe and Russia.
Dr Colucci has travelled to Eastern Asia over 14 times, and received numerous fellowships and scholarships to Asia and Russia, including a Fulbright Scholarship to China, as well as a business fellowship to Japan. Lamont was also an American delegation leader to Japan on historical issues and also received a scholarship to Korea to work on security issues before joining the diplomatic corps for the State Department. Colucci has also completed a number of fellowship and scholarship research projects including the Modernisation of the Peoples Liberation Army of China and the Security Treaty between the United States and Japan.
Synopsis of the book
Crusading Realism discusses the Presidential dominance of American foreign policy and the religiosity and leadership style of President George W. Bush. Contrasting the post-9/11 Bush administration with its earlier incarnation and with that of its immediate predecessor, the development of a distinctive policy position founded on pre-emption, prevention, primacy, and the promotion of democracy is examined. The emergence of the Bush Doctrine from 2001-2003 is analyzed in relation to four distinct phases: its genesis, initial development, further evolution, and maturation. The Bush Doctrine in this period culminates in the decision to invade Iraq in the light of the heightened sense of threat occasioned by a 'toxic nexus' of trans-national terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and rogue states. The standard accounts of neo-conservative coup are re-assessed and dismissed. Attempts to characterize the Bush Doctrine in terms of Realism, Idealism or other theories of international relations are considered, and the concept of Crusading Realism returns America to its political roots in the idea of natural law, the American Revolution, and the foundation of the Republic.
The book can be bought here