ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book introduces the moral and political components of Bush Administration's doctrine of striking first and assesses its consistency in the American foreign policy. It explains why the doctrine places such high a premium on targeting so-called rogue states that are thought to pursue weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and allegedly align themselves with terrorist groups. The book then investigates the empirical research and theory in international relations dealing with notions of just war theory and political power. It also addresses the issue of whether or not the application of the Bush Doctrine to Afghanistan and Iraq are defensible from the perspective of just cause. The book applies the just war principle of Legitimate Authority in order to determine the consistency of US offensive military actions with particular international legal constraints the US itself adheres to. It examines the principle of Proportionality.
