We Have Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself...and the Bush Administration

Bush's national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, is delivering Bush's "National Security Policy" ironically to the U.S. Institute of Peace. There is a link to the full report - here - but here are some excerpts that will scare the crap out of you:

Regarding Iran: "We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran. For almost 20 years, the Iranian regime hid many of its key nuclear efforts from the international community, yet the regime continues to claim that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons.''

"The United States has joined with our European Union partners and Russia to pressure Iran to meet its international obligations and provide objective guarantees that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. This diplomatic effort must succeed if confrontation is to be avoided.''

Regarding the Strike-First Policy: "There are few greater threats than a terrorist attack with weapons of mass destruction. To forestall or prevent such hostile acts by our adversaries, the United States will, if necessary, act pre-emptively in exercising our inherent right of self-defense. The United States will not resort to force in all cases to pre-empt emerging threats. Our preference is that nonmilitary actions succeed. And no country should ever use pre-emptions as a pretext for aggression.''

Regarding China: "The United States is urging China to continue down a road of reform and openness, but said it cannot stay on this path while holding on to old ways of thinking and acting."

"These "old ways'' include enlarging China's military in a non-transparent way; expanding trade, while acting as if it can "lock up'' energy supplies around the world, or seek to direct rather than opening up new markets; supporting energy-rich nations without regard to their misrule or misbehavior at home or abroad."

Regarding North Korea: "In addition to posing a nuclear proliferation threat, North Korea counterfeits U.S. currency, traffics in narcotics, threatens South Korea with its army and its other neighbors with its missiles and brutalizes and starves its people."

"The North Korean regime needs to change these polices, open up its political system and afford freedom to its people. In the interim, we will continue to take all necessary measures to protect our national and economic security against the adverse effects of their bad conduct.''

Regarding Russia: "Recent trends regrettable point toward a diminishing commitment to democratic freedoms and institutions. ... Efforts to prevent democratic development at home or abroad will hamper the development of Russia's relations with the United States, Europe and its neighbors.''

Regarding Tyrannies: "People are living under the rule of despots and despotic systems in nations including North Korea, Iran, Syria, Cuba, Belarus, Burma and Zimbabwe. "All Tyrannies threaten the world's interest in freedom's expansion, and some tyrannies, in their pursuit of WMD or sponsorship of terrorism, threaten our immediate security interests as well.''

Regarding Hamas: "The burden for achieving peace between the Palestinians and Israelis has shifted to Hamas, a group labeled as a U.S. terrorist organization that recently won elections in the Palestinian territories. "The opportunity for peace and statehood -- a consistent goal of this administration -- is open if Hamas will abandon its terrorist roots and change its relationship with Israel.''

I really believe the Bush Administration wants to wage war on the rest of the entire world. When will this madness end?