11 September and the changing American hegemonic discourse: A realist analysis of political economy

Since September 11 attacks is considered as one of the most important events in recent history, it is chosen as the subject of this study. In this study, implications of the attacks on in the world and American public and its impact on the changes in U.S. foreign policy have been analyzed. Traditionally American foreign policy has been implemented through the perception of ?other.? After the September 11, the US filled the gap of the other emerged with the end of the Cold War and communism with the religion of Islam and Muslim countries. The US invaded Afghanistan in the name of the fight against terrorism, then Saddam Hussein regime, associated with Taliban, was overthrown using the prevention of ?terrorism? discourse. U.S. foreign policy was studied in two periods: Pre and post September 11. Iraq, Afghanistan, the EU and Latin America are analyzed as case studies. From the beginning to end of the cold war American foreign policy is defined with defensive realism; the US has been following a conflictual foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. September 11 attacks formed the cornerstone of this policy of aggressive realism. With preventive war doctrine, President Bush declared that a new era began for American foreign policy and that ?terrorism? and ?terrorist states? would be eliminated. The US tried to restrict Latin America countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and Chile by utilizing economic and political embargo. It used direct military means against Afghanistan and Iraq in order to bring them to heel.The US can no longer preserve its global hegemony. Global actors such as China, the EU, Japan and Russia began to challenge the US hegemony. Particularly the Middle East and Eurasia are very significant regions for these powers. In fact, with the pretext of ?anti-terrorism,? the US organized operations in order to convert political powers in these regions according to its interests, to control flow of oil and natural gas, to preserve its economic interests and to control the rising great powers.After the events of September 11, US foreign policy was explained with arguments of realist political economy emphasizing the nation-state, power and interest. Due to anarchic structure of international relations, conflictual relations between states emphasize achieving political power and economic welfare. Conflictual, one-sided and aggressive American foreign policy was implemented by ignoring international consent.While Afghanistan and Iraq were chosen as case studies of this research due to their invasion by the US, the EU and Latin America were chosen since they occupy an important place in the US foreign policy. Relations with Latin American countries go back to the US early years. The US has been seen these countries as its backyard, and put pressure through direct and indirect means in order to force these countries to be dependent on the US both politically and economically. Relations with the EU improved with the US support of the development and expansion of the union. But after the EU solved its problems and began to question the certain US policies and to emerge as a new power axis, the relations were deteriorated. After the American people?s opposition to the aggressive and pro-war American policies and failed policies in Iraq and Afghanistan, the more moderate Democrat Barak Obama has come to power. The new president seems to follow a peaceful and conciliatory foreign policy respecting democratic values and emphasizing the international consent.Key Words: America, September 11, Realist Political Economy, Defensive Realizm, Offensive Realizm, Iraq, Afghanistan, the European Union, Latin America.