Bush’s New Policy Shift on Middle East
After a post-Sept. 11 turn to idealism, the Bush administration has slowly shifted back to a more traditional posture in the Middle East, governed by realism. While continuing to play lip service to democracy, the White House has apparently reassessed the situation in Iraq, re-engaged in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, stressed the importance of stability, promoted business and trade ties, and avoided new conflicts.
However, the reorientation of the regional policy has been complicated domestically by Congress, which of late has statutorily and rhetorically challenged the president’s regional policy.
Initially premised on eliminating the nascent Iraqi WMD program, the White House later claimed the invasion of Iraq was part of the war on terror. Neo-conservatives insisted a democratic Iraq would fuel reform across the Arab world. But with mounting casualties and scant evidence of progress, public support for Iraq plummeted throughout 2005. Nevertheless, the White House remained unwilling to modify its tactics or rhetoric until Nov. 17, when hawkish Democratic Representative Jack Murtha — a retired Marine colonel — announced his support for the withdrawal of US forces.
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