What is the policy of preemption? How did President Bush incorporate the policy of preemption in the Bush Doctrine? How was this policy used in the Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq?

Answer:

An ideal response will:
1. Describe the policy of preemption as the policy of taking action and attacking, rather than waiting for provocation, when the United States believes another nation constitutes a serious threat.
2. Discuss how the Bush Doctrine incorporated this policy in proclaiming that the United States reserves the right to attack any nation that harbors terrorists or constitutes a serious threat to the United States, the right to act unilaterally without the support of U.S. allies, and the right to use massive force against its enemies, including nuclear weapons if needed.
3. Reveal how the belief that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction led President Bush to attack Iraq preemptively, as he considered waiting for provocation from a country with such weapons to be too dangerous.