View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by OTHES DIPLOMARBEIT To Bomb Or To Talk Developing Countries As Topics In The U.S. Presidential Election 2008 Verfasserin Jasmin Malekpour angestrebter akademischer Grad Magistra der Philosophie (Mag.phil.) Wien, Februar 2010 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 057 390 Studienrichtung lt. Zulassungsbescheid: Internationale Entwicklung Betreuerin: Dr.in Silvia Michal-Misak Für meine Eltern … ohne eure bedingungslose Unterstützung und Liebe hätte ich nicht der Mensch werden können, der ich heute gerne bin, nicht die Ziele erreicht, die ich mir erträumt habe und nicht die Möglichkeiten nutzen können, die ihr mir geboten habt. Danke. Für meine Oma … ohne dich wäre mein Leben um viele Erfahrungen ärmer gewesen. Danke, dass du immer für mich da warst, für deine “deutsche Gründlichkeit”, die ich mir zumindest sprachlich zu Eigen machen konnte und für all die schönen Erinnerungen. Für Gerald … ohne dich wäre ich nur halb, but you complete me. Danke für nächtelange Diskussionen, die Erweiterung meines geistigen und unseres reisetechnischen Horizontes, carrots and sticks whenever necessary, und für deine Liebe. Danke an Dr.in Silvia Michal-Misak. Für die Betreuung und Nachsicht und ihre Geduld, die ich wohl stark strapaziert haben muss. Danke den Lehrenden der Internationalen Entwicklung, die mein Studium begleiteten, mein Interesse weckten und mir neue Möglichkeiten eröffneten, insbesondere Wiebke Sievers, Gerald Hödl und Karin Fischer. Und ein besonderes Danke an Elke Christiansen. i Table of Contents Acronyms ............................................................................................................................. v 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 2. The System of U.S. Presidential Elections ...................................................................... 5 2.1. The Presidential Election 2008 ................................................................................. 8 3. Foreign Policy and the Presidency ................................................................................. 11 3.1. Presidential Primacy in Foreign Policy ................................................................... 12 3.2. The Vice President – The Most Insignificant Office? ............................................. 16 3.3. Relevant Schools of Thought .................................................................................. 18 3.3.1. Realism and Neorealism ................................................................................... 19 3.3.2. Idealism ............................................................................................................ 20 3.3.3. Neoconservatism .............................................................................................. 20 3.3.4. Liberal Internationalism and Liberal Institutionalism ...................................... 22 4. The Republican Ticket – More of the Same? ................................................................ 23 4.1. John McCain – The Republican Maverick .............................................................. 23 4.2. An Enduring Peace Built on Freedom ..................................................................... 24 4.3. Sarah Palin – Governor, Hockey Mum and Proud Passport-Holder ....................... 27 5. The Democratic Ticket – Change We Can Believe In? ................................................. 29 5.1. Barack Obama – The Democratic Superstar ........................................................... 29 5.2. Renewing American Leadership ............................................................................. 30 5.3. Joe Biden – Senator, Old-School Politician and Foreign Policy Pundit ................. 32 6. Regional Focus Middle East .......................................................................................... 34 6.1. Iran .......................................................................................................................... 36 6.1.1. John McCain - Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran! ................................ 43 6.1.2. Sarah Palin ........................................................................................................ 46 6.1.3. Barack Obama – Talk and Engage ................................................................... 48 6.1.4. Joe Biden .......................................................................................................... 51 6.2. Afghanistan ............................................................................................................. 52 6.2.1. John McCain – From Muddling Through to a New Surge ............................... 58 6.2.2. Sarah Palin ........................................................................................................ 60 6.2.3. Barack Obama – A Raise in Troop Levels and Sustained Diplomacy ............. 61 6.2.4. Joe Biden .......................................................................................................... 63 Table of Contents 6.3. Iraq .......................................................................................................................... 65 6.3.1. John McCain – A Hundred Years in Iraq ......................................................... 68 6.3.2. Sarah Palin ........................................................................................................ 71 6.3.3. Barack Obama - What I Am Opposed To Is a Dumb War ............................... 72 6.3.4. Joe Biden .......................................................................................................... 75 6.4. Pakistan ................................................................................................................... 77 6.4.1. John McCain – A Long-lasting Commitment to an Ally ................................. 81 6.4.2. Sarah Palin ........................................................................................................ 84 6.4.3. Barack Obama – The Central Front on Terrorism ............................................ 85 6.4.4. Joe Biden .......................................................................................................... 87 6.5. The Arab World ...................................................................................................... 88 6.5.1. John McCain – The Transcendent Challenge of Good versus Evil .................. 91 6.5.2. Sarah Palin ........................................................................................................ 92 6.5.3. Barack Obama – Strengthened Alliances, Diplomacy and Development ........ 93 6.5.4. Joe Biden .......................................................................................................... 94 7. Africa – Leave No Continent Behind ............................................................................ 96 7.1. Case Study Sudan - Darfur ...................................................................................... 99 7.2. John McCain – A No Fly Zone to Save Darfur ..................................................... 105 7.3. Sarah Palin............................................................................................................. 108 7.4. Barack Obama – An African Ancestry for an African-American Future ............. 109 7.5. Joe Biden ............................................................................................................... 111 8. To Bomb Or To Talk – A Comparison ........................................................................ 113 9. Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 118 10. Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 121 11. Appendix .................................................................................................................... 145 11.1. Zusammenfassung ............................................................................................... 145 11.2. Abstract ............................................................................................................... 146 11.3. Curriculum Vitae ................................................................................................. 147 iv Acronyms ABC American Broadcasting Company AEI American Enterprise Institute AFRICOM Unified Combatant Command for Africa AGOA Africa Growth and Opportunity Act AIPAC American Israel Public Affairs Committee AMIS African Union Mission in Sudan AU African Union BBC British Broadcasting Corporation CAR Central African Republic CFR Council on Foreign Relations CIA Central Intelligence Agency CNAS Center for a New American Security CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement CRS Congressional Research Service DPA Darfur Peace Agreement EU European Union FATA Federally Administered Tribal Areas GDI Gender-Related Development Index GDP gross domestic product GOP Gallant/Grand Old Party (= Republican Party) GWOT global war on terror HDI Human Development Index HIPC Highly Indebted Poor Countries HPI Human Poverty Index IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency IDA International Development Association IDP internally displaced person IMF International Monetary Fund IRI International Republican Institute ISAF International Security Assistance Force ISI Inter Services Intelligence JEM Justice