US - US backs first-strike attack plan

[Guest guest]

Thursday, 16 March 2006,

13:33 GMT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

US

backs first-strike attack plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

The US will not shy away from attacking regimes it considers hostile,

or groups it believes have nuclear or chemical weapons, the White House has

confirmed.

In the first restatement of national security strategy since the

invasion of Iraq in 2003, the US singles out Iran as the

greatest single current danger.

The new policy backs the policy of pre-emptive war first issued

in 2002, and criticised since the Iraq war.

But it stresses that the US aims to spread

democracy through diplomacy.

The new strategy also highlights a string of other global issues

of concern to the US, such as the spread

of Aids, the threat of pandemic flu and the prospect of natural and environmental

disasters.

National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley is due to make a speech

launching the new strategy on Thursday.

Other key points include:

 

Stressing

US preference for " transformational diplomacy " and coalition building,

but not necessarily within United Nations or Nato frameworks

Criticising

the lack of democratic freedoms in Russia and China

Branding

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a " demagogue " aiming to

destabilise the region

Urging

Palestinian radical group Hamas to recognise Israel, renounce violence

and disarm.

 

Seven despots

The substance of the revised strategy focuses on the challenges

facing the US in the wake of the Iraq war.

In a nod to previous high-level foreign policy statements, which

singled out individual countries as potential enemies of the US, the new

document highlights seven " despotic " states.

They are: North Korea, Iran, Syria, Cuba, Belarus, Burma and Zimbabwe.

The policy of the US, according to the

opening words of the 49-page document, is " to seek and support

democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the

ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world " .

These motives underpin US policy towards the

continuing stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme,

the document says.

But it stresses that continuing diplomatic efforts must succeed

if confrontation is to be avoided, vowing to take " all necessary

measures " to protect US interests against Iran.

'Bush doctrine'

The new document, overseen and approved by Mr Bush, leaves the

so-called " Bush doctrine " of pre-emptive war largely unchanged.

Before 2002 the US largely

focused on the deterrence and containment of unfriendly states.

However, likening the current international situation to the

early years of the Cold War, the new document insists on the right of the US to protect its

interests using force.

" If necessary, however, under long-standing principles of self-defence,

we do not rule out use of force before attacks occur, even if uncertainty

remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack, " it says.

" When the consequences of an attack with WMD [weapons of

mass destruction] are potentially so devastating, we cannot afford to stand

idly by as grave dangers materialise. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4812562.stm

 

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Jorge Angelino

 

 

Rua da Sociedade Filarmónica

Perpétua Azeitonense, 29

2925-598 Azeitão

Portugal

 

 

 

 

jorge.angelino

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.2.4/283 - Release 16.03.2006