NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Are the cold war and the war against terrorism really analogous in the way Bush suggests? Wasnt the lesson of the cold war that containment, rather than military engagement, worked? As U. S.
casualties mount in Iraq and the prospect of a relatively short, smooth transition to democracy dims, the president is confronted with the manifold contradictions of his policies. Having convinced the American people war was justified because Hussein's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) posed an imminent threat, he must now explain why no WMD have been found. His answer has been to recast the reasons for war. Now Bush claims that transforming Iraq and the rest of the Middle East into democracies is the best way to fight terrorism. Yet the occupation of Iraq appears to be in disarray, the United States has never been less popular in the Muslim world, and the administrations failure to speak honestly to the American people of the cost of this war, both monetarily and in human life, has undermined popular support for staying the course. It doesnt help that the day Bush delivered his speech boasting of the willingness of Americans to make sacrifices, it was announced that U.
S. troop strength in Iraq would be reduced in time for next years elections. With fewer U. S.
troops, only limited Iraqi participation, and still little international or UN presence, the policing of Iraq does not promise to get easier. Arguing for more public diplomacy, Telhami says Washington could do a better job explaining its policies and disseminating information on American culture and values. However, by shifting the debate from substance to form, Telhami distracts from his own arguments about the consequence of real policy decisions. A stepped-up public diplomacy campaign also raises issues of credibility. The book concludes with a riposte against current beltway thinking that American hard power can be used to promote a democratic and liberal order. Telhami is wary of schemes to reshape the region.
Instead, Washington would be better served to cooperate, assist and inspire other states (p. 184). As both an up-to-the-minute primer and a sweeping critical analysis of American policy and the Middle East, The Stakes is as valuable as it is economical.
Free research essays on topics related to: middle east, cold war, american people, bush, iraq
Research essay sample on Cold War Middle East
