Global Military Dominance

This thread follows the Bush administration's use of the counterterrorism campaign to consolidate military superiority and promote global dominance.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Overwhelming Superiority

Overwhelming Superiority Existing advantage The United States is described as already possessing overwhelming military superiority over the rest of the world. Consolidation rather than creation The campaign's purpose, in this interpretation, is to secure and extend a position already held rather than build power from nothing.

A New Campaign Phase

A New Campaign Phase A strategic opportunity The Bush administration conceives the new counterterrorism phase as an opportunity to consolidate its existing military superiority. Continuity with earlier policy The author compares this campaign with the Reagan administration's war on terrorism two decades earlier, emphasizing recurrence beneath new circumstances.

Other Methods of Dominance

Other Methods of Dominance Beyond military force The administration is said to promote additional methods for ensuring global dominance alongside its military advantage. A broad political program The passage presents dominance as a sustained governmental objective, not merely a temporary operational response to an attack.

A Demonstration of Capacity

A Demonstration of Capacity Afghanistan as evidence A senior official describes Afghanistan as demonstrating American capabilities on a scale that exceeded an earlier military campaign. Respect through firmness A former military official argues that firmness will earn respect and discourage others from challenging the United States.

A Renewed Doctrine

A Renewed Doctrine Old theme, new force The author sees many historical precedents for this logic but argues that the post-attack world gives it new force. Future leverage The larger trajectory is the consolidation of military primacy and the capacity to intervene more forcefully across regions.

During the author's account of official aims

As the Bush administration frames its response

As the strategic program widens

During the exchange with the Saudi prince

At the close of the military-dominance argument