Neocon 101

[dweller]

Some basic questions answered.
What do neoconservatives believe?

"Neocons" believe that the United States should not be ashamed to use its unrivaled power – forcefully if necessary – to promote its values around the world. Some even speak of the need to cultivate a US empire. Neoconservatives believe modern threats facing the US can no longer be reliably contained and therefore must be prevented, sometimes through preemptive military action.

Most neocons believe that the US has allowed dangers to gather by not spending enough on defense and not confronting threats aggressively enough. One such threat, they contend, was Saddam Hussein and his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. Since the 1991 Gulf War, neocons relentlessly advocated Mr. Hussein's ouster.

Most neocons share unwavering support for Israel, which they see as crucial to US military sufficiency in a volatile region. They also see Israel as a key outpost of democracy in a region ruled by despots. Believing that authoritarianism and theocracy have allowed anti-Americanism to flourish in the Middle East, neocons advocate the democratic transformation of the region, starting with Iraq. They also believe the US is unnecessarily hampered by multilateral institutions, which they do not trust to effectively neutralize threats to global security.

What are the roots of neoconservative beliefs?

http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/neocon/neocon101.html

this just showed up in my email, sent from friend that i've been trying to inform about some political issues. Good to see he's staying on the ball.

dp

[jeff30997]

1. Neocons= Imperialists assholes.

Nothing neo about them.Been done over and over again in past History.

[tk2kewl]

3. Yeah. I fail to see any concern about democracy as part of their ideology.

"They...see Israel as a key outpost of democracy in a region ruled by despots"

there interest in Israel has nothing to do with domocracy or Jews, it is about military might.

[etherealtruth]

2. Nice clear explanation ...

I think some have confused them with the religious right ... unfortunately it's just an alliance of two "crazed" groups ...

[ptolle]

4. neocon primer

You might advise your friend to read some of Leo Strauss the philosophical godfather to the neocons.And if that doesn't scare him he's one tough dude.They are pretty up front in their phiolosophical statements it's not until they get to turning that into policy and action that they get secretive, underhanded and deceptive.

[bemildred]

5. They are just the usual utopian control freaks.

Like Stalin and Hitler and Pol Pot and Mao and Idi Amin and many others.
"Do what I say and there will be pie in the sky by and by ..."
:puke:

[Eloriel]

6. NOMINATED! Very good explanation. n/t