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Write On: Progressive News for Northern Michigan December 2003
Local Links Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice Nothwoods Wilderness Recovery Keweenaw Now State, National, and International Links Common Dreams Greenpeace Move On Independent Media Democracy Now! True Majority Michigan Citizens for Peace United for Peace Citizen.org Citizenworks.org	Empire Building: A Project for a New American Century Kim Donaldson The Project for the New American Century (PNAC): Few of us have heard of it, fewer realize that it is the plan, developed in 1997 by neo-conservatives waiting out the Clinton administration, that has led us into a never-ending war on terrorism and an unjustified war on Iraq. From the website: www.newamericancentury.org, "The Project for the New American Century is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to a few fundamental propositions: that American leadership is good both for America and for the world; that such leadership requires military strength, diplomatic energy and commitment to moral principle; and that too few political leaders today are making the case for global leadership. The Project for the New American Century intends ... to explain what American world leadership entails. In June of 1997, PNAC came out with its statement of principles. In it they criticized American foreign and defense policy, clearly stating "We aim to make the case and rally support for American global leadership." It praised the Reagan administration's "successes" including a strong and ready military. The statement alludes to pre-emption when it comes to exercising military and political power the world over, "it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge, and to meet threats before they become dire." Following are four specific goals, again written in 1997, which sounds as familiar as any of George W. Bush's speeches since his presidency began three years ago. "We need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future; we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values; we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad; we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles. This Statement of Principles was signed by Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, I. Lewis Libby, and Zalmay Khalilzad, among others, all of whom currently hold a position of power in the Bush Administration. The president's brother, Jeb Bush, also signed the PNAC Statement of Principles. In 1998, the PNAC addressed a letter to President Bill Clinton, urging him to take unilateral action against Iraq before it was too late. Of the 18 people who signed this letter, 10 are in the current Bush Administration. On September 20, 2001 the PNAC addressed a letter to President Bush praising his commitment to the broad and unending "war on terrorism." They included commentary and suggestions on Osama, Iraq, Hezbollah, Palestine and the U. S. Defense Budget such as: "Even if evidence does not link Iraq directly to the (September 11) attack, any strategy aiming at the eradication of terrorism and its sponsors must include a determined effort to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. . . Hezbollah clearly falls in the category cited by Secretary Powell of groups 'that mean us no good' ... Therefore, any war against terrorism must target Hezbollah ... Israel has been and remains America's staunchest ally against international terrorism, especially in the Middle East. The United States should fully support our fellow democracy in its fight against terrorism ... A serious and victorious war on terrorism will require a large increase in defense spending. Fighting this war may well require the United States to engage a well-armed foe, and will also require that we remain capable of defending our interests elsewhere in the world. We urge that there be no hesitation in requesting whatever funds for defense are needed to allow us to win this war." In addition to the middle east, the PNAC plan advocates U. S. power over the United Nations, and U. S. domination of space, pinpoints North Korea, Libya, Syria and Iran as rogue regimes, as well as hinting at U. S. development of new, more advanced biological weapons. “The PNAC document supports a 'blueprint for maintaining global US pre-eminence, precluding the rise of a great power rival, and shaping the international security order in line with American principles and interests'. This 'American grand strategy' must be advanced for 'as far into the future as possible', the report says. It also calls for the US to 'fight and decisively win multiple, simultaneous major theatre wars' as a 'core mission'. The report describes American armed forces abroad as 'the cavalry on the new American frontier'(“Bush planned Iraq ‘regime change’ before becoming President” by Neil Mackay, Sept. 15, 2002, www.pnac.info). It has only taken George W. Bush and his war hawk administration three years to fulfill some of the major goals of the Project for a New American Century. Are these the values we want our country to portray and to act on without regard for human consequences? To find out more about this Project that is guiding, or mis-guiding, our country in its foreign affairs, see the official website www.newamericancentury.org or www.pnac.info - an effort to investigate, analyze, and expose the PNAC and its plan for a "unipolar" world. You may also attend Speak UP and Citizens’ for Peace and Justice discussion panel January 28 at 7pm in the Community Room of Peter White Library.	Write On Issues December November October September August July June May

Write On: Progressive News for Northern Michigan

December 2003

Local Links

Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice

Nothwoods Wilderness Recovery

Keweenaw Now

State, National, and International Links

Michigan Citizens for Peace

United for Peace

Citizen.org

Citizenworks.org

Empire Building: A Project for a New American Century Kim Donaldson

The Project for the New American Century (PNAC): Few of us have heard of it, fewer realize that it is the plan, developed in 1997 by neo-conservatives waiting out the Clinton administration, that has led us into a never-ending war on terrorism and an unjustified war on Iraq.

From the website: www.newamericancentury.org, "The Project for the New American Century is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to a few fundamental propositions: that American leadership is good both for America and for the world; that such leadership requires military strength, diplomatic energy and commitment to moral principle; and that too few political leaders today are making the case for global leadership. The Project for the New American Century intends ... to explain what American world leadership entails.

In June of 1997, PNAC came out with its statement of principles. In it they criticized American foreign and defense policy, clearly stating "We aim to make the case and rally support for American global leadership." It praised the Reagan administration's "successes" including a strong and ready military. The statement alludes to pre-emption when it comes to exercising military and political power the world over, "it is important to shape circumstances before crises emerge, and to meet threats before they become dire."

Following are four specific goals, again written in 1997, which sounds as familiar as any of George W. Bush's speeches since his presidency began three years ago. "We need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future; we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values; we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad; we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles. This Statement of Principles was signed by Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, I. Lewis Libby, and Zalmay Khalilzad, among others, all of whom currently hold a position of power in the Bush Administration. The president's brother, Jeb Bush, also signed the PNAC Statement of Principles.

In 1998, the PNAC addressed a letter to President Bill Clinton, urging him to take unilateral action against Iraq before it was too late. Of the 18 people who signed this letter, 10 are in the current Bush Administration. On September 20, 2001 the PNAC addressed a letter to President Bush praising his commitment to the broad and unending "war on terrorism." They included commentary and suggestions on Osama, Iraq, Hezbollah, Palestine and the U. S. Defense Budget such as: "Even if evidence does not link Iraq directly to the (September 11) attack, any strategy aiming at the eradication of terrorism and its sponsors must include a determined effort to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. . . Hezbollah clearly falls in the category cited by Secretary Powell of groups 'that mean us no good' ... Therefore, any war against terrorism must target Hezbollah ... Israel has been and remains America's staunchest ally against international terrorism, especially in the Middle East. The United States should fully support our fellow democracy in its fight against terrorism ... A serious and victorious war on terrorism will require a large increase in defense spending. Fighting this war may well require the United States to engage a well-armed foe, and will also require that we remain capable of defending our interests elsewhere in the world. We urge that there be no hesitation in requesting whatever funds for defense are needed to allow us to win this war."

In addition to the middle east, the PNAC plan advocates U. S. power over the United Nations, and U. S. domination of space, pinpoints North Korea, Libya, Syria and Iran as rogue regimes, as well as hinting at U. S. development of new, more advanced biological weapons. “The PNAC document supports a 'blueprint for maintaining global US pre-eminence, precluding the rise of a great power rival, and shaping the international security order in line with American principles and interests'. This 'American grand strategy' must be advanced for 'as far into the future as possible', the report says. It also calls for the US to 'fight and decisively win multiple, simultaneous major theatre wars' as a 'core mission'. The report describes American armed forces abroad as 'the cavalry on the new American frontier'(“Bush planned Iraq ‘regime change’ before becoming President” by Neil Mackay, Sept. 15, 2002, www.pnac.info).

It has only taken George W. Bush and his war hawk administration three years to fulfill some of the major goals of the Project for a New American Century. Are these the values we want our country to portray and to act on without regard for human consequences? To find out more about this Project that is guiding, or mis-guiding, our country in its foreign affairs, see the official website www.newamericancentury.org or www.pnac.info - an effort to investigate, analyze, and expose the PNAC and its plan for a "unipolar" world. You may also attend Speak UP and Citizens’ for Peace and Justice discussion panel January 28 at 7pm in the Community Room of Peter White Library.

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