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The Project for the New American Century, or PNAC, is a Washington, DC based think tank. The group was established in spring 1997 as a non-profit organization with the goal of promoting "American global leadership." The chairman is William Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard. The group is an initiative of the New Citizenship Project, a non-profit 501c3 organization that is funded by the Bradley Foundation. [1]Present and former members include several prominent members of the Republican Party and Bush Administration, including Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Jeb Bush, Richard Perle, Richard ArmitageRichard Lee Armitage (born April 26, 1945) is the current United States Deputy Secretary of State, the second-in-command at the State Department. Previously, he was a high-ranking troubleshooter and negotiator in the Departments of State and Defense., Dick CheneyRichard Bruce Cheney (born January 30, 1941), widely known as Dick Cheney, is an American politician and businessman affiliated with the U. Republican Party. He is currently serving as the 46th Vice President of the United States under George W. Early lif, Lewis LibbyLewis "Scooter" Libby, Jr. born August 22, 1950) is a lawyer and United States Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff and Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs. Libby started his government career in the the State Department i, William J. Bennett, Zalmay KhalilzadOval Office. Zalmay Khalilzad is the highest-ranking native Afghan and Muslim in the Bush administration. He became George W. Bush's special envoy to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. He has been a special envoy to Iraqi during the U. led occupat, and Ellen Bork, the wife of Robert BorkRobert Heron Bork (born March 1, 1927) is a well-known conservative legal scholar and former judge who advocates an originalist interpretation of the United States Constitution. Robert Bork, in books such as The Tempting of America argues that the Constit. A large number of its ideas and its members are associated with the neoconservativeNeoconservatism is a somewhat controversial term referring to the political goals and ideology of the "new conservatives" in the United States. Compared to other U. conservatives, neoconservatives are characterized by an aggressive stance on foreign polic movement. PNAC has seven full-time staff members, in addition to its board of directors.
The PNAC is quite controversial. Some have raised concerns that the project can be viewed as proposing military and economic domination of land, spaceFor other meanings of the term space see space. Outer space (also called just space , as a name for a region, refers to the relatively empty parts of the Universe, outside the atmospheres of celestial bodies. The term outer space is used to distinguish it, and cyberspace by the United States, so as to establish American dominance in world affairs ( Pax Americana) for the future—hence the term "the New American Century". Supporters argue the project's aims and agendas are often misinterpreted, sometimes deliberately.
1 Core views and beliefs
The PNAC website [2] states the group's "fundamental propositions", which are
- "American leadership is good both for America and for the world"
- "such leadership requires military strength, diplomatic energy and commitment to moral principle"
- "too few political leaders today are making the case for global leadership."
The PNAC also made a statement of principles at their 1997 inception.
- As the 20th century draws to a close, the United States stands as the world's preeminent power. Having led the West to victory in the Cold War, America faces an opportunity and a challenge: Does the United States have the vision to build upon the achievements of past decades? Does the United States have the resolve to shape a new century favorable to American principles and interests?
The PNAC advocates "a policy of military strength and moral clarity" which includes:
- A significant increase of U.S. defense spending.
- Strengthening ties with the U.S.'s allies and to challenge regimes hostile to U.S. interests and values.
- Promoting the cause of political and economic freedom outside the U.S.
- Preserving and extending an international order friendly to U.S. security, prosperity, and principles.
The PNAC and its members have long called for the United States to abandon the ABM Treaty. The PNAC also proposes to control the new "international commons" of space and " cyberspace" and pave the way for the creation of a new military service—U.S. Space Forces—with the mission of space control. In 1998, Donald Rumsfeld chaired a bipartisan commission on the US Ballistic Missile Threat towards advancement of these goals.
