Institut za međunarodnu politiku i privredu, Beograd
Abstract
The paper analyzes strategic thinking in the United States foreign policy. Three major turning points in American foreign and security policy are given in the introduction: burning of the White House and Capitol by the Britons in 1814; bombing of the Pearl Harbor by Japan in 1941; and Al Qaida terrorists' attacks at New York and Washington on 9/11 2001. After every one of these events, the U.S. foreign policy replied not with withdrawing, but with action - internal changes, preventive measures, specifically with unilateralism, hegemony, and preventive action. The following part of the paper examines G. W. Bush's revolution in foreign policy - the Strategy of National Security from September 17th 2002. Special attention is given to the very vague line between preventive and preemptive war and all hazardous consequences to the United States foreign policy and to the entire international order.