Four P's in Foreign Policy

Essay by diezpesoUniversity, Master'sA, March 2004

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By analyzing the war on Iraq using the 4 P's framework given by Bruce W. Jentleson in his Book American Foreign Policy, it seems that the US national interest goal cannot be simultaneously satisfied in most of the cases. Iraq became a US threat in 1990 when former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, led the invasion of Kuwait. US, supported by the United Nations and many other countries, went to war for the first time against Iraq. The US troops expelled the Iraqi troops out of Kuwait and reestablished order in that country. This did not mean that the threat was over; Saddam Hussein became an "enemy" of the United States.

After the terrorist attacks in the United States, President George Bush started a war on terror, a war which main purpose is to finish any kind of threats all over the world. According to President Bush, Saddam Hussein with his anti-American sentiment and the "possession" of biological and chemical weapons was one of these threats.

The proposal of a new war against Iraq came from George Bush. This war was supposed to be based on the core goals of American Foreign Policy (The 4 P's).

Power: Iraq was considered as one of the biggest enemies of the United States, more than the country itself; the enemy was its leader, Saddam Hussein. An active threat could not only harm US allies in the Middle East but also other countries in the world, even America. The risk was too big and some actions should be taken. America should protect itself and its interests.

Peace: Iraq could also deter world peace as it did before. Saddam Hussein's greed and power could result in another invasion to a Middle Eastern country. The United States had also a big responsibility in this aspect, as one...