Wag the Dog Theory: Domestic Scandal and Foreign Policy

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Wag The Dog Theory: Domestic Scandal And Foreign Policy [Author] [Institution] Wag The Dog Theory Of Domestic Scandal And Foreign Policy The “Wag the dog” theory of domestic scandal and foreign policy is advanced by some pundits through which, the US presidents committed the United States to overseas conflicts in order to divert public attention from national unrest or outcry does not necessarily apply to all US presidents. Some of the US presidents have indulged in foreign affairs, foreign tours, summits with foreign leaders, foreign conflicts or certain bold or rash decisions when faced with problems of economic or political nature on the domestic front. Harry S. Truman atom-bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which he could have avoided, but that would have dragged on the WWII a little longer creating more problems for him on the domestic front. Kennedy’s ill-planned Bay of Pigs fiasco in Cuba in support of the Cuban exiles planning to overthrow Fidel Castro. Reagan’s Iran-Contra Affair for secret sale of arms to the inimical Iran and channeling of ill-gotten profits to the Nicaraguan rebels. But, the classic example of the practice of the “Wag the dog” theory was by Bill Clinton. To draw away attention from his personal indiscretions, on the day Monica Lewinsky was supposed to testify before a grand jury, Clinton ordered cruise missile attack on a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan under the pretense of it was a chemical weapons factory. Later, targets in Afghanistan were attacked under the pretext that these were linked to the Saudi terrorist Osama Bin Laden who was suspected of orchestrating bombings of US embassies in East Africa. Clinton’s actions that led to his impeachment were not mere personal misdeeds, but lasting stains ...

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...om time to time to continue the pretense that US domestic affairs are very dear to his heart and have his wholehearted attention. If we take a deeper look in to the foreign adventures and foreign relations gimmics of the US presidents during the last 50 years, it is quite evident that they have not got themselves involved in these out of necessity, but to draw the nation’s attention away from their domestic policy or personal failures. Definitely, future US presidents will continue to indulge in such adventurism unless the nation through its legislatures and public opinion builders endeavor to put a stop to such practices and tie up the presidency with necessary laws. References Scheer, Robert 2002 Published in the Los Angeles Times www.mediamonitors.net/alan1.html www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ht33.html www.freeman.org/m_online/jan99/eidelberg.htm

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