THE AMERICAN WAY OF WAR: AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ/La guerra al estilo estadounidense: Afganistán e Irak

Headnote

ABSTRACT. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 placed the United States in a position to exercise its political objectives of securing national interests through military means. The War on Terror waged in Afghanistan and Iraq shifted the development of U.S. foreign policy, allowing for American leadership to exercise its right to sovereignty and power. The doctrine required a victory in each of the scenarios, and the inability to secure these aims resulted in civil war and insurgency in both countries. Impor tant lessons can be learned from analyzing foreign policy implementations through the use of force, applying responsible sovereignty to pressing transnational security threats and strengthening the inter national architecture through a multidimensional response.

Keywords: United States, foreign policy, war on terror, Afghanistan, Iraq

RESUMEN. Los ataques terroristas del 9/11 incentivaron el uso de la capacidad militar para ejercer los objetivos políticos y defender los intereses nacionales de Estados Unidos. Las guerras de Afganistán e Iraq y la amenaza terrorista en la región, modificaron el desarrollo de su política exterior al ejercer su derecho de soberanía y poder. La estrategia norteamericana requería una victoria, pero fue esa táctica la que provocó una guerra civil e insurgencia en ambos países. El ar tículo señala las importantes lecciones derivadas de un análisis de la política exterior implementada a través del uso de la fuerza, y de las amenazas transnacionales a la seguridad que requieren de una soberanía responsable que for talezca la aquitectura internacional a través de una respuesta multidimensional.

Palabras clave: Estados Unidos, política exterior, guerra contra el terroris- mo, Afganistán, Irak

Maria Luisa Parraguez Kobek

Mariana González Rodríguez

The American way of war: Afghanistan and Iraq

Revista Enfoques, Vol. XI, n° 18, July, 2013, 77-101

Abstract. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 created a need for the United States of America to exercise its political objectives of securing its interests through military means. The War on Terror waged in Afghanistan and Iraq shifted U.S. foreign policy objectives, allowing American leadership to embrace to opportunity to use raw force as its right of sovereignty and power. With a doctrine focused on a victory in both scenarios, the inability to secure these countries resulted in civil war and insurgency. Enforcing responsible sovereignty to pressing transnational security threats and...