INVESTIGADORES
BUSSO Anabella Estela
capítulos de libros
Título:
President George W. Bush´s Foreing Policy and its impact on international Perceptions
Autor/es:
BUSSO, ANABELLA
Libro:
Estados Unidos: Política Externa e Atuação na Política internacional Contemporânea
Editorial:
Editora PUC-Minas
Referencias:
Lugar: Mina Gerais; Año: 2008; p. 239 - 266
Resumen:
To understand the changes made by President Bush administration on foreign policy we must approach different aspects: the theoretical vision from which the international events are interpretated, the more pragmatic political style that has characterized the Republican Party and the personal profile of some members of the government with influence on the decision-making process of international affairs. Thus, since the beginning, the administration showed homogeneity with a predominant realist approach to international relations, a predilection to use instruments related to the concept of hard power and a pragmatic style in the resolution of international problems. However, such homogeneity was not enough to avoid debate scenarios and conflicts in the decision-making process of international affairs where, from a methodological point of view, the so called ?individual and role variables? standed out. These variables evidenced the differences in terms of organizational interests and ideological changes that allowed the distinction of some ?doves? in an administration full of ?hawks?. Since then, and particularly since the war with Iraq, all these trends were situated in a religious framework that gives America the status of a ?Crusade State? which has the mission to defend national interest and to spread democracy and American values worldwide. The effects -maybe unwanted- of these policies throughout the world are an increasing anti-Americanism that can be detected in the rejection of the policies adopted by the American administration and in the highly negative perceptions about the possibilities of this policies to generate stability and security around the world. From our point of view, this negative reaction of the international community and of some governments that are considered to be traditional American allies is dangerous because it has weakened the possibilities of cooperation that are essential to cope with the threats of international terrorism. We consider ideas and perceptions very important because they are useful to explain the problem that we want to study. As Wendt pointed out, numerous analysts since 1989 have taken into account the limits of the realist theory and have made a turn towards a more systemic analysis where ?ideas? play a major role unlike the realist approaches-. In many ways, they argue that the meaning of the State power and national interest can only be understood by analyzing the ideas of those in charge of the decision-making process and of the entire society. Therefore, we believe that in order to understand the meaning of America?s power in the post Cold War and the contents of its interests, other countries must comprehend the ?distribution of ideas? that structured that power. For example, trying to study the George W. Bush administration foreign policy and its interests without knowing the ideas of the Vulcans is an incomplete task. Added to that, we believe that American government attempt to consolidate its leading power without considering the ideas and perceptions that its foreign policy provoke worldwide could turn out that goal unreachable. We will begin the analysis by reviewing both the theoretical basis of the American administration and its invocation on ?American exceptionalism? as well as the influence of the major actors that participate in the decision-making process of foreign policy. Thus, we will highlight those aspects of American foreign policy that affected negatively the perceptions about the United States and enhanced the anti-Americanism. We will also take into account polls that showed how this anti-Americanism has risen. The paper will finish with some conclusions that can be drawn from the analysis.