Preemption, "Red Lines", and International Law: The Legality of the 2002 National Security Strategy and a Nuclear North Korea

President Bush's bold National Security Strategy document of September 2002 would appear to have been written with North Korea as much as Iraq in mind. Yet the Bush administration has been uncharacteristically passive in responding to the challenge posed by Pyongyang's nuclear weapons ambitions, especially in comparison with the forceful manner with which the administration dealt with Iraq. In the latter case, Bush mobilized the full weight of military force; seemed disdainful of allies, international institutions and multilateral diplomacy; and moved forward with what his critics deemed reckless abandon. In the case of North Korea, on the other hand, the President has emphasized patience, close coordination with allies and an overall lack of urgency oddly at variance with his `axis of evil' characterization of the regime in Pyongyang, and with dangerous advances in North Korea's nuclear arsenal. This essay attempts to explain the rationale behind the Bush administration's surprisingly relaxed approach to the North Korea challenge.

Download Full-text

The Miracle of Generative Violence? René Girard and the Use of Force in International Law

Leiden Journal of International Law ◽

10.1017/s0922156508005189 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 563-580 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

GREGOR NOLL

Keyword(s):

National Security ◽

International Law ◽

Use Of Force ◽

International Community ◽

Security Strategy ◽

Rene Girard ◽

National Security Strategy ◽

Divine Violence ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

AbstractIn this article, I apply René Girard's theory of generative violence to the international law relating to the use of force. I argue that texts of international law make gestures of referral towards an immanent normativity on the fettering of divine violence. The means to this end is a form of sacrificial violence that seeks to promote the preservation and cohesion of the ‘international community’. The structuring of this violence through international law and its repeated staging reproduces the relationship of prophecy to miracle. Empirically, I draw mainly on excerpts from the 2006 US National Security Strategy.

Download Full-text

Bush Characterizes North Korea, Iran and Iraq as “Axis of Evil” Intensifying Debate Over Post-9/11 National Security Strategy

Foreign Policy Bulletin ◽

10.1017/s1052703600010169 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 2-27

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

National Security ◽

North Korea ◽

The United States ◽

United States Congress ◽

Security Strategy ◽

Men And Women ◽

The People ◽

National Security Strategy ◽

The Military

Next week I will go before Congress to lay out my priorities for the coming year. There will be no room for misunderstanding. The most basic commitment of our government will be the security of our country. We will win this war; we will protect our people; and we will work to renew the strength of our economy.Our first priority is the military. The highest calling to protect the people is to strengthen our military. And that will be the priority of the budget I submit to the United States Congress. Those who review our budget must understand that we're asking a lot of our men and women in uniform, and we'll be asking more of them in the future. In return, they deserve every resource, every weapon needed to achieve the final and full victory.

Download Full-text