Résumé:
In recent decades, U.S. foreign policy has been one of increasing militarism. The new century ushered in a new era of U.S. military involvement abroad marked by the adoption of a foreign policy that pushed the country towards military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The causes of this agenda are attributed to counterterrorism and democracy promotion. However,
the driving force behind it is the Military-Industrial Complex (MIC). Therefore, the present
study aims to uncover the influence of the Military-Industrial Complex in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy by answering the central research question of how the Military-Industrial Complex contribute to formulating and implementing George W. Bush's foreign policy. In doing so, this dissertation applies historical and textual analysis to trace the development of the MIC and examine its influence on U.S. foreign policy. Furthermore, the research is structured in two main chapters. The first provides a theoretical framework for understanding the MIC and its influence, concluding that, although its roots trace back to the 19th century, the MIC experienced significant developments, contributing to its moder occupying vital positions. The coalition utilizes a set of mechanisms to exert influence over
policymaking in general and over the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy in the post-Cold War
era in particular. The second chapter is devoted to investigating the MIC’s influence in the
formulation and implementation of Bush’s militaristic foreign policy. It implies that the Bush doctrine was fashioned prior to Bush’s presidency by key figures within the MIC. Moreover,
the findings reveal that the events of September 11, 2001, were utilized as an opportunity to advance the doctrine designed to serve the interests and expansion of the MIC. Finally, the study specifies the contributions of the MIC to the implementation of the Bush doctrine by critically examining its role in the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns.
