| ID | 023136 |
| Title Proper | New Calculus of pre-emption |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Litwak, Robert S |
| Publication | Winter 2002-03. |
| Description | 53-79 |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Under the Bush administration's 2002 National Security Strategy document, military pre-emption against ‘rogue states’ and terrorist groups has been elevated to official doctrine. But the conditions under which pre-emption would be undertaken remain unclear. Military action against terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda, enjoys broad international legitimacy, but that consensus breaks down over the use of force against a state violating non-proliferation norms. A comparative analysis of historical cases reveals force to be as problematic as its non-military alternatives. Inadequate intelligence, concern over collateral damage to civilian populations and the fear of triggering a broader conflict have been major constraints on the use of force to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In the post-11 September era, pre-emption should be a rarely invoked policy option, and successful prevention strategies, employing non-military instruments, might forestall the need to resort to it. |
| `In' analytical Note | Survival Vol. 44, No. 4; Winter 2002-03: p53-79 |
| Journal Source | Survival Vol: 44 No 4 |
| Key Words | Use of force ; National Security-United States ; WMD ; United States-Terrorism |