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  • Home
  • About RSIS
      • Introduction
      • Building the Foundations
      • Welcome Message
      • Board of Governors
      • Staff Profiles
        • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
        • Dean’s Office
        • Management
        • Distinguished Fellows
        • Faculty and Research
        • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
        • Visiting Fellows
        • Adjunct Fellows
        • Administrative Staff
      • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
      • RSIS Endowment Fund
      • Endowed Professorships
      • Career Opportunities
      • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
      • Research Centres
        • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
        • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
        • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
        • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
        • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      • Research Programmes
        • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
        • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      • Future Issues and Technology Cluster
      • [email protected] Newsletter
      • Other Research
        • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      • Graduate Programmes Office
      • Overview
      • MSc (Asian Studies)
      • MSc (International Political Economy)
      • MSc (International Relations)
      • MSc (Strategic Studies)
      • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
      • PhD Programme
      • Exchange Partners and Programmes
      • How to Apply
      • Financial Assistance
      • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
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      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
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      • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
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        • Bulletins and Newsletters
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        • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
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        • Interreligious Relations
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        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • RSIS Publications for the Year
      • Glossary of Abbreviations
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        • Journal Articles
        • Edited Books
        • Chapters in Edited Books
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        • External Publications for the Year
      • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
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    • WP026 | 911, American Praetorian Unilateralism and the Impact on State-Society Relations in Southeast Asia
    • Annual Reviews
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    WP026 | 911, American Praetorian Unilateralism and the Impact on State-Society Relations in Southeast Asia
    Kumar Ramakrishna

    01 June 2002

    download pdf

    Abstract

    The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 have sharply refocused American foreign policy, elevating homeland security above other concerns. Three factors: the globalized Al-Qaeda terrorist threat; the neoconservative ideology of key Bush Administration officials, and the increasing policy influence of the post-Cold War American military establishment, have combined to generate a policy posture of “praetorian unilateralism”. Thus while seemingly engaged in considerable multilateral activity with Coalition partners in the war on terror, the resources of allied nations are actually being orchestrated by Washington so as to expedite the effective unilateral exercise of American power. The American posture is also praetorian for three reasons: it emphasizes military solutions over other measures; it demands and expects compliance with its policy preferences from Coalition partners; and it is quite willing to “go it alone” if need be. Praetorian unilateralism will be ultimately counterproductive for three reasons: first, the threat of radical Islamic terrorism cannot be neutralized by military measures alone; second, an overly military emphasis would actually inflame global Muslim opinion, further increasing sympathy for Al-Qaeda, and finally, the resulting civilizational enmity between the West and Islam will spill over into Southeast Asia, destabilizing multi-ethnic, multi-religious polities.

    Categories: Working Papers /

    Last updated on 17/11/2014

    Abstract

    The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 have sharply refocused American foreign policy, elevating homeland security above other concerns. Three factors: the globalized Al-Qaeda terrorist threat; the neoconservative ideology of key Bush Administration officials, and the increasing policy influence of the post-Cold War American military establishment, have combined to generate a policy posture of “praetorian unilateralism”. Thus while seemingly engaged in considerable multilateral activity with Coalition partners in the war on terror, the resources of allied nations are actually being orchestrated by Washington so as to expedite the effective unilateral exercise of American power. The American posture is also praetorian for three reasons: it emphasizes military solutions over other measures; it demands and expects compliance with its policy preferences from Coalition partners; and it is quite willing to “go it alone” if need be. Praetorian unilateralism will be ultimately counterproductive for three reasons: first, the threat of radical Islamic terrorism cannot be neutralized by military measures alone; second, an overly military emphasis would actually inflame global Muslim opinion, further increasing sympathy for Al-Qaeda, and finally, the resulting civilizational enmity between the West and Islam will spill over into Southeast Asia, destabilizing multi-ethnic, multi-religious polities.

    Categories: Working Papers

    Last updated on 17/11/2014

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    Latest Book
    WP026 | 911, American Praetorian Unilateralism and the Impact on State-Society Relations in Southeast Asia

    Abstract

    The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 have sharply refocused American foreign policy, elevating homeland security above other concerns. Three fact ...
    more info