ABSTRACT
One of the most startling and controversial aspects of the Bush Doctrine is its reliance on preventive action. It is this feature of the Doctrine as much as any other that has elicited fervent opinions on either side of the ideological divide. The stated reason for this policy of prevention was a confluence of threats: catastrophic terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), and “rogue states.” However, not one of these three threats was a new feature of the international system, or a consequence of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. In fact, these threats very obviously predated President George W. Bush’s administration. The core of the issue then is, why this policy, and why now?
