Buzan: Will the Global notes

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

11:40 AM

P 1101, GWoT= "Global war on Terror". Campaign

to convince Americans that the war on terror will be a 12,
long war. GWoT was set up to take the place of the
Cold War where the US led the west against a
common enemy.

P 02, what the GWOT really is, is a political move to

legitimize US primacy, leadership and unilateralism to
Americans and the rest of the world. Key concept
macro-securitization, a global security structure.

03, GWOT threatens two core things: liberal values

and unity of the West. Cheney believes the US is
"called to use our overwhelming power in defense of
freedom."

04, from war on drugs to "war on terrorism." EU has
as its goal to fight organized crime: drugs, women,
illegal immigrants, weapons.
05, Foreign nations echo the fight, "proliferation of
WMD's is potentially the greatest threat to our
security." Effective strategy to make this a reality is
PSI Proliferation Security Initiative with now over 40
nations.
06, There are 5 potential problems that could affect
GWOT. Impact of terrorist attacks: Al Qaeda, largest
non-state terrorist grp in history. Also, possibility of
governments with vested interests in GWOT staging
terrorist attacks or staging foiled plans to keep
securitization in place.
08, because the US headed up the policy, the success
or failure depends on how steadfast it remains. With
the many errors it made in Iraq, US legitimacy is
threatened. Others are opposed to the state of
permanent fear and emergency which robs citizens of
ordinary rights for the sake of protection form
terrorism. In an attempt to ease those that felt
threatened, there has been a change in language from
"war" to "struggle", to stay away from the idea of
securitization.
10, the unilateralism of late under the Bush Admin.
Has put in question whether US can effectively lead
the macro-securitization as it has alienated those that
were accustomed to the multilateral system of old.
Weakening of US legitimacy! And then the legitimacy
of the GWOT.
12, attempt to break the US notion that it is the West v.
Islam, instead it is the case of Islamic radicals.
13, controversial securitization elements: notably, the
Invasion of Iraq. Justification came trying to link Hussein
to WMD's. US and Britain bought it but other countries
didn't. Result was the splitting of the EU and NATO
support.
14, 9/11 gave Bush admin the opportunity to create a
climate of to remake domestic policy and, remake the
world. The links of the GWOT to Israel and Iraq conflicts
make it seem more like a ploy of the Bush admin and
challenge its legitimacy.
14, China remains a threat to GWOT as it is a rising
superpower. Many countries support multipolarity,
(multiple superpowers) over the US as sole superpower.
15, in the end, it looks like the GWOT as macro-
securitization looks doubtful.
16, GWOT is about the State vs uncivilized society.
Insulation: as a result of homeland security impedes the
free movement of people for busines, edu, and arts.
Repression: taking the fight TO the terrorists to eliminate
then by police or military action. Equalizing: belief that
root of terrorism is inequalities in market economies. There
is no easy solution in this case to fix the inequalities.
18

11, US is unpopular apart form GWOT, so its attempt

to use GWOT securitization to create its superpower
position may be the reason why the rest of the world
opposes it, because it was unable to deliver when
given the chance.

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