American Foreign Policy in the Twenty-First Century

The International Spectator 4/2005

Book reviews and Notes

American Foreign Policy in the Twenty-first Century

Costanza Musu *

American global strategy and the ≈war on ter- global strategy to put an end to the war rorism∆ / Hall Gardner. - Aldershot : on terrorism and deal with the new Ashgate, c2005. - viii, 231 p. - ISBN 0- threats through concerted and multilat- 7546-4512-6 eral engagement∆. It is therefore more than just the war on terrorism that the author intends to examine: the analysis In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, there in fact spans from a scrutiny of the ori- has been no dearth of studies focusing gins of the neo-conservative ideology, on American foreign policy, and it is in to an examination of different types of this context that Gardner»s text has to terrorism, to a study of a number of be received. On the first page of the conflicts and geostrategic and political book, the author presents the reader hotspots around the globe. Gardner with the core of his argument: the examines the relationships between the world is witnessing a ≈new global disor- US and a number of regions and prob- der∆ and ≈the roots of the present crisis lem states and concludes by prescribing to a large extent lie in the general fail- strategies for correcting the internation- ure of US diplomacy to establish new al disequilibrium. According to the and more concerted norms for interna- author, US global strategy is replete tional action∆. This blunt statement sets with double standards and inconsisten- the framework within which the author cies which must be overcome in order aims to achieve the main objective of to triumph over terror and maintain a the book: that of developing an ≈irenic stable international system.

* Costanza Musu is Assistant Professor of International Relations at Richmond American International University, London.

The structure of the book reflects the effective means could have been used. A author»s ambitious goal: after an initial wide array of issues is examined: from reflection on the 9/11 attacks and on the NATO and EU enlargement to relations US reaction, with particular reference to with China and conflicts in the Balkans, the concept of pre-emptive war, the Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, the Middle Gardner traces the historical and ide- East and central Asia. Attention is also ological background of American given to US relations with Zimbabwe, interventionism, and the roots of neo- Cuba and Colombia. conservatism. In the final part of the book the author He then proceeds to study the concept notes the major differences between the of terrorism itself, which he separates European and American approach to into four types: anti-state terrorism, foreign policy, and argues that a clash of state-sponsored terrorism, totalitarian democratic civilisations √ contrary to terrorism and street terrorism. Following Huntington»s prescription √ will become this analysis, the book focuses on US almost inevitable if NATO, the EU, and global strategy: the subsequent chapters the UN cannot harmonise their priori- highlight US views on nuclear prolifera- ties. In the concluding chapter, finally, tion in terms of containment and Gardner attempts to give a number of engagement with ≈outposts of tyranny∆ policy recommendations geared toward and ≈rogue states∆ such as North Korea, overcoming the past Cold War disequi- Iran, and Pakistan. Developing nations librium. Central to his view are the like Pakistan have used strategic leverag- ≈restructuring∆ of the relationship ing to gain concessions and security between the US and the EU, seen as guarantees from the US while knowing- crucial in creating an effective global ly sponsoring terrorist organisations, strategy, as well as of relations with and this, according to Gardner, shows Russia and China, which might in time how the US is guilty of double standards be brought into a larger US-EU confed- in its strategic partnerships. This will in eration ≈involving power sharing turn encourage other nations to use arrangements and regional security strategic leveraging against the US by accords∆. exploiting issues such as oil supplies, This is indeed an ambitious text: it aims nuclear technology or geopolitical posi- not only to study the war on terrorism tion, thus lessening the credibility of US and US relations with rogue states, but foreign policy. also to give an overview of the historical The book then focuses on the global background of American foreign policy ramifications of US military interven- and to analyse US global foreign and tion, arguing that overstretch is limiting security policy. Almost inevitably, how- the prospects for success. The author ever, the huge array and the complexity argues that the neo-conservative lack of of the issues addressed by the author willingness to engage in constructive make the text incomplete and at times methods of diplomacy has made mili- superficial. When, in the space of a few tary engagement necessary when more pages, one chapter addresses issues like Costanza Musu 107 the war in Iraq, relations with the EU, and the conclusions appear to be less China, Russia, Belarus, the Balkans, than convincing. Nevertheless, the book Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, the will provide an interesting and thought- Caucasus, the question of a ≈pan-Islamic provoking read for those who √ armed strategy∆, the conflict in the Middle with a solid previous knowledge of East, and the emergence of new region- American foreign policy √ want to al actors and potential political econom- engage in an all-encompassing overview ic blocs, it cannot come as a surprise if of the crucial security issues facing the the analysis tends to skim the surface world today.