U.S. Idealism Meets Reality: Democracy Promotion in the Middle East during the George W. Bush Administration

Dr. Zoé Nautré

doi:10.5771/9783845227160

Summary

Vor dem 11. September 2001 hatte die US-Außenpolitik auf die innere Verfassung der Staaten des Nahen/Mittleren Osten keinen besonderen Einfluss nehmen wollen. Doch der Anschlag auf das World Trade Center hat gezeigt, dass einige dieser Staaten Brutstätten für Terroristen sind und dass die USA es sich sicherheitspolitisch nicht mehr leisten können, über die dortigen innenpolitischen Verhältnisse hinwegzusehen. Als längerfristige politische Strategie kündigte die Bush-Administration daher an, dem Terrorismus vor allem durch die Verbreitung politischer Freiheiten und durch die Demokratisierung einen wichtigen Nährboden entziehen zu wollen.

Die Studie untersucht, wie dieser ambitionierte politische Ansatz in der Praxis implementiert wurde. Im Mittelpunkt der Analyse stehen die Logik, die Annahmen und die Prämissen hinter den Zielen der USA und wie angemessen und praktikabel diese in der arabischen Welt sind.

„A serious, penetrating study grounded in significant primary-source research in Washington and the Middle East, and a searching, balanced analytic approach. The study provides considerable insight into the realities of the Bush push on Middle East democracy both toward the region as a whole and the illuminating case of Morocco.“Thomas Carothers, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

„Zoé Nautré has written a compelling analysis of the pitfalls of U.S. efforts to promote democratiza–tion in the Middle East. It is crammed with impressive research on what actually happened when the George W. Bush Administration took its zeal for democracy into the Moroccan bazaar. It’s an excellent and highly recommended read.“

Martin Indyk, Vice president and director of Foreign Policy at Brookings Institution

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2010
Copyright Year: 2010
ISBN-Print: 978-3-8329-6000-1
ISBN-Online: 978-3-8452-2716-0
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Series: DGAP-Schriften zur Internationalen Politik
Language: English
Pages: 216
Product Type: Monograph

Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis No access Pages 2 - 10
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Introduction No access Pages 11 - 11
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Research Question No access Pages 11 - 12
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A fundamental change? No access Pages 13 - 16
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Methodology No access Pages 17 - 19
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Structure No access Pages 20 - 22
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1. 1. Authors:
    1. Confirmation of U. S. values: Idealism No access
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    2. A realist vision of world order No access
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    3. Calls for U. S. assertiveness: Neoconservatism No access
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  2. When idealism and realism converge No access Pages 34 - 36
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2. 1. Democracy promotion as a means to fight the root causes of terrorism No access Pages 36 - 41
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  2. Policy implementation and practical obstacles No access Pages 41 - 43
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  3. Bureaucrats, incentives and structures No access Pages 43 - 45
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  4. NGOs and structural challenges No access Pages 45 - 47
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3. 1. Lack of definition No access Pages 47 - 49
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  2. Expectations of the role of outsiders No access Pages 49 - 51
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  3. Authors:
    1. Cultural preconditions No access
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    2. Developmental pre-requisites No access
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    3. Modernization versus democratization No access
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    4. Elections No access
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    5. Civil society No access
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  4. Repercussions of U. S. policies No access Pages 57 - 58
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4. Conclusion No access Pages 58 - 58
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1. 1. Issues of concern No access Pages 59 - 61
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  2. Focus on Great Powers and traditional security issues No access Pages 61 - 63
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  3. The Middle East and democracy promotion No access Pages 63 - 64
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  4. Advocating a conventional foreign policy No access Pages 64 - 65
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2. 1. Policies towards Great Powers and traditional security issues No access Pages 65 - 68
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  2. Policies towards the Middle East No access Pages 68 - 69
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3. Conclusion No access Pages 69 - 70
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1. 1. Asserting U. S. power No access Pages 71 - 72
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  2. A war of values No access Pages 72 - 74
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  3. Retaliation No access Pages 74 - 76
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  4. The way foreign policy was conducted No access Pages 76 - 77
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  5. Providing an intellectual framework No access Pages 77 - 79
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2. 1. Self-reflection-why do they hate us? No access Pages 79 - 81
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  2. Support for authoritarian states reconsidered No access Pages 81 - 82
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  3. Democracy as a means to an end No access Pages 82 - 84
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  4. Supporting evidence for democracy promotion No access Pages 84 - 87
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  5. Re-orientation of foreign policy No access Pages 87 - 88
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3. Conclusion No access Pages 88 - 88
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1. 1. Diplomatic pressure No access Pages 89 - 91
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  2. Increase in funding at the State Department and USAID No access Pages 91 - 94
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  3. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) No access Pages 94 - 96
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  4. Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) No access Pages 96 - 97
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  5. Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative (BMENA) No access Pages 97 - 98
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  6. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) No access Pages 98 - 99
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  7. Support for NGOs No access Pages 99 - 100
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2. 1. Diplomatic pressure No access Pages 100 - 101
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  2. Increase in funding at the State Department and USAID No access Pages 101 - 103
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  3. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) No access Pages 103 - 104
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  4. Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) No access Pages 104 - 105
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  5. Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative (BMENA) No access Pages 105 - 106
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  6. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) No access Pages 106 - 106
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  7. Support for NGOs No access Pages 106 - 108
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3. Conclusion No access Pages 108 - 110
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1. At the periphery of U. S. interests No access Pages 111 - 112
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2. 1. U. S. Idealism and competing interests No access Pages 112 - 113
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  2. Contested development theories No access Pages 113 - 114
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  3. Implementation of new rationale No access Pages 114 - 115
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  4. Diplomatic pressure No access Pages 115 - 115
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  5. Increase in funding at the State Department and USAID No access Pages 115 - 118
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  6. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) No access Pages 118 - 119
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  7. Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) No access Pages 119 - 119
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  8. Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative (BMENA) No access Pages 119 - 120
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  9. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) No access Pages 120 - 120
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  10. Support for NGOs No access Pages 120 - 121
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  11. Additional measures & bilateral relations No access Pages 121 - 123
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3. 1. Legitimacy of the King No access Pages 123 - 125
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  2. Monopoly over the reform discourse No access Pages 125 - 127
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  3. Conservatism and tolerance No access Pages 127 - 128
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  4. Weak political opposition No access Pages 128 - 131
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  5. Marginalization No access Pages 131 - 133
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4. Conclusion No access Pages 133 - 134
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1. 1. U. S. exceptionalism No access Pages 135 - 137
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  2. When idealism and realism merge No access Pages 137 - 141
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2. 1. U. S. exceptionalism No access Pages 141 - 142
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  2. When idealism and realism merge No access Pages 142 - 143
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3. 1. Democracy promotion as a means to fight the root causes of terrorism No access Pages 143 - 145
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  2. Policy implementation and practical obstacles No access Pages 145 - 149
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  3. NGOs and structural challenges No access Pages 149 - 150
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4. 1. Democracy promotion as a means to fight the root causes of terrorism No access Pages 150 - 152
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  2. Policy implementation and practical obstacles No access Pages 152 - 154
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  3. Bureaucrats, incentives and structures No access Pages 154 - 156
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  4. NGOs and structural challenges No access Pages 156 - 158
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5. 1. Expectations of the role of outsiders No access Pages 158 - 160
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  2. Authors:
    1. Elections No access
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    2. Civil society No access
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    3. Modernization versus democratization No access
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    4. Developmental pre-requisites No access
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    5. Repercussions of U. S. policies No access
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6. 1. Expectation of the role of outsiders No access Pages 172 - 173
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    1. Elections No access
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    2. Civil society No access
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    3. Modernization versus democratization No access
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    4. Developmental pre-requisites No access
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    5. Repercussions of U. S. policies No access
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7. Conclusion No access Pages 181 - 182
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1. A fundamental change? No access Pages 183 - 185
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2. Obstacles to poicy implementation No access Pages 185 - 188
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3. Outlook No access Pages 188 - 192
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Appendices No access Pages 193 - 198
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Bibliography No access Pages 199 - 216
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