| Summary: | Two years have passed since the September 11, 2001, terrorist strikes aroused the United States from its post-Cold War strategic slumber. The attacks spurred Washington to action and offered an opportunity for fresh thinking in foreign policy. To meet the challenge posed by large-scale terrorism of global reach, U.S. President George W. Bush's administration has mobilized the country, assembled substantial armed coalitions, overturned two hostile regimes, weakened the leading terrorist network and adopted a posture of forward defense against future attacks. It has also refocused relations with Russia Federation, China and Europe to deal with terrorism and the threat of weapons of mass destruction in the rouge regimes. The Bush administration has succeeded recently in achieving a massive increase in funding for the Defense Department, reversing years of deferred investment. The time has arrived to boost the civilian foreign affairs budget as well. Any serious strategy to combat state failure will require more it-sources and attention than the problem is currently receiving.
|
|---|