Ending the myth of unilateralism.

On numerous occasions during the past three years, THE NEW AMERICAN has maintained, citing official pronouncements from President Bush and high-ranking members of the administration, that the "unilateralist" image of the Bush administration is entirely mythical. In Iraq, for instance, the president has clearly stated on dozens of occasions that the purpose of the invasion was to enforce UN Security Council disarmament resolutions.

We have also warned that the administration's eagerness to engage in militarist adventures overseas will eventually leave the U.S. militarily spent, economically depleted, and diplomatically isolated. The result would be a greater dependence on multilateral institutions, such as the UN and NATO. Indeed, the administration's dependence on the UN in Iraq has become quite obvious (see "'Hat in Hand,' on 'Bended Knee'" in our June 28 issue).

Writing in the November 15 Newsweek, former Foreign Affairs editor Farced Zakaria comes to the same conclusion. "The second term of the Bush administration will be less aggressive, less unilateral, less militant and less arrogant in its foreign policy," opines the former editor of the CFR's flagship journal. "[T]his will not be due to a change of heart, but because the administration will be hemmed in. America is now constrained by the world, a situation largely created by George Bush's policies."

"If you want to see what Bush 2 would look like, look around--it's already happening," continues Zakaria. "On North Korea, Iran and many other issues, the Bush administration is working with allies, using international institutions, preferring diplomacy to force and being patient. Sometimes too patient. The irony and tragedy of Bush's second term might well be that even if force or the threat of force were necessary--to deal with North Korea and Iran, for instance--George Bush would be a paper tiger."

Needless to say, an even greater tragedy may ensue if our homeland is attacked again, now that our military (including "first responders" serving as National Guard and Reserve troops) is scattered abroad, and our borders are gaping wide open.