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As this issue of the Bulletin goes to press, the
nation finds itself in the midst of a war in Iraq. It is the first
implementation of Bush’s preventive war strategy and marks
an historic moment for the world and for those of us who are students
of international policy. Kennedy School faculty participated in the strong public debate
leading up to the declaration of this war as evidenced by the section
in this issue that highlights various editorials in the national
press. The views varied from strong criticism of the call for war
to qualified support. In “The Paradox of American Power,” I addressed the effects
of globalization, technology and the information revolution on security.
This “privatization of war” is not only a major change
in world politics, but its potential impact on our cities could
drastically alter the nature of our civilization. The Bush doctrine
of a preventive war takes this reality into account. Yet, the way
in which it was implemented sacrificed the support of key allies,
failing to build the kind of broad coalition needed to preserve
our “soft power.” Multilateralists must now hope that the war is not prolonged, that
the Iraqi people will eventually welcome the removal of a tyrant,
and that the reconstruction of Iraq will involve many countries
and a role for the United Nations. The Kennedy School will remain
at the forefront in grappling with these issues as they evolve.
In May, we are convening a session of some of the top scholars to
discuss the new challenges facing the international community in
this complex, new reality. This will be part of our ongoing discussions
into the international dialogue on the threat of terrorism and into
the role of America now that it has emerged as the world’s
only superpower. Joseph S. Nye, Jr.
Photo: Paula Lerner |
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