This thesis explores the manifest content of the U.S. Executive framing effort intended to persuade the U.S. Congress, United Nations Security Council, and the American people that there was no greater threat to US national security than the continuing reign of Saddam Hussein\'s regime in Iraq. Through analysis of individual and group contributions to the three dominant themes created by the executive leadership, namely, the link between the regime of Saddam Hussein and terrorism, the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, and the status of the regime and Saddam Hussein as an outlaw, I illuminate the process used to gain support for the unprecedented policy of preemptive war. The results of my analysis differ with previous literature on the subject which primarily considers the Bush administration\'s effort to be a campaign of lies, intended to lead the American people and the international community to believe a threat existed that the Bush Administration knew was not credible. In contrast to that conclusion, my analysis of the framing effort indicates that the marketing campaign for the Iraq War capitalized on world events, timing, the credibility of the particular speaker and their office and the amplifying effect of the media, making a campaign of lies unnecessary and the process they used replicable. Therefore, this analysis may justify heightened scrutiny for comparable policies in the future, even when the statements and argumentation an administration makes are primarily accurate and verifiable. / Master of Arts

In the wake of the misbegotten US invasion of Iraq in 2003, we have to acknowledge that there are critical flaws in how our intelligence community (the CIA and its “sister-agencies”) produces knowledge. Instead of arguing that the intelligence community acted in bad faith, or that the mistaken pre-war intelligence was a “perfect storm” of bad luck, as others have, this dissertation argues that the intelligence community’s rhetorical culture led it into fatally flawed epistemological practices, demonstrated most dramatically in the mistaken pre-invasion allegations of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programs. Chapter one explains the problematic assumptions behind the question of whether or not the intelligence community overtly politicized its pre-war intelligence estimates. In chapter two, the intelligence community’s theories of language are explored. Chapter three addresses how the intelligence community teaches and practices writing. The intelligence community’s inflexible commitment to writing in a “clear” prose style proves problematic when that clarity belies the uncertainty of its estimates. The fourth and final chapter addresses issues of disciplinarity in the intelligence community, explores the possibility of a rhetorical theory of intelligence, and offers conclusions. / text

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The Master Thesis Engagement of Obama's Administration in the Syrian Civil War is dealing with the role of the United States in the conflict. This work studies the approach of Obama's administration toward the situation in country from the beginning of the revolution until the end of president's second tenure. It analyzes the development of this approach and key events that influenced its shape. The thesis is divided into three parts. The first is dealing with the background of the crisis, historical development of relations between the US and Syria and the broader context of Obama's Middle East policy. The second part analyzes specific period of time between the start of the revolution until 2014. It follows key events that had profound effect on the inner dynamics of the conflict and phenomenon that were shaping the situation in Syria, like the rising influence of the radicals among the opposition. It also analyzes in detail the chemical attack in Ghouta from 2013, which almost led Washington to direct intervention and is regarded as one of the most important events in Obama's foreign policy. The third part is dealing with the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) and American-led intervention against this terrorist organization. The thesis was written with the help of different sources such as...

For ten years he spent as the Prime Minister, Tony Blair led Great Britain in no less five then military operations, more than any other Prime Minister in the modern history. Neither of these operations was strictly speaking in British national interest and thus Tony Blair had to use other than the usual arguments to legitimize Britain's participation. He therefore started using moral arguments. Usage of these became much more acceptable during the nineties due to the changes in the international arena, this thesis looks at which moral arguments Tony Blair used during his tenure as the Prime Minister and how he used them. It analyses his arguments used to legitimize operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo.

Submitted by Samira Prince (prince@ufpa.br) on 2012-05-22T16:45:13Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese_FogFuncaoObjetivo.pdf: 2229502 bytes, checksum: 897f653b962c45447c243389095f4f85 (MD5) license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Samira Prince(prince@ufpa.br) on 2012-05-22T16:46:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese_FogFuncaoObjetivo.pdf: 2229502 bytes, checksum: 897f653b962c45447c243389095f4f85 (MD5) license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-05-22T16:46:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese_FogFuncaoObjetivo.pdf: 2229502 bytes, checksum: 897f653b962c45447c243389095f4f85 (MD5) license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / FIDESA - Fundação Instituto para o Desenvolvimento da Amazônia / UNAMA - Universidade da Amazônia / Esta tese de doutorado propõe uma formulação matemática para simulação de roteamento e alocação de comprimentos de onda em redes ópticas, sem a inclusão de restrições que não são inerentes ao problema básico e com o objetivo de ser aplicável a qualquer tipo de rede óptica com tráfego de demanda estática. O estabelecimento de uma rota seguida da seleção de um comprimento de onda é um dos pontos chave para o bom funcionamento de uma rede óptica, pois influencia na forma como os recursos da rede serão gerenciados. Assim, o processo de roteamento e alocação de comprimentos de onda em redes ópticas, conhecido como RWA (Routing and Wavelength Assignment), necessita de soluções que busquem a sua otimização. Entretanto, a despeito dos inúmeros estudos com o objetivo de otimizar o processo RWA, observa-se que não há, a priori, nenhuma solução que possa levar a uma padronização do referido processo. Considerando que a padronização é desejável na consolidação do uso de qualquer tecnologia, a Tese descrita neste trabalho é uma Função de Objetivo Genérico (FOG) que trata do processo de roteamento e alocação de comprimentos de onda, visando estabelecer uma base a partir da qual seja possível desenvolver um padrão ou vários padrões para redes ópticas. A FOG foi testada, via simulação, no processo de alocação de comprimentos de onda do inglês, Wavelength Assignment e no processo RWA como um todo. Em ambos os casos, os testes foram realizados considerando redes opacas, trazendo resultados surpreendentes, considerando a simplicidade da solução para um problema não trivial. / This doctoral thesis proposes a mathematical formulation to simulate routing and wavelength assignment in optical networks, without the inclusion of constraints that are not inherent to the basic problem and in order to be applicable to any type of optical network with a static traffic demand. The establishment of a route followed by wavelength assignment is one of the keys to the smooth operation of an optical network, as this influences on how the resources of the network will be managed. Thus, the process of routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) in optical networks, needs a solution that seeks its optimization. However, despite numerous studies aiming to optimize RWA, it is observed that there is no solution, a priori, that could lead to a standardization of RWA process. Whereas consolidating standardization is desirable in the use of any technology, the thesis described in this work is a Generic Objective Function(GOF) that deals with the process of routing and wavelength assignment to establish a basis from which we can develop a standard or several standards for optical networks. The GOF was tested by simulation in the process of wavelength assignment (WA) and the RWA process as a whole. In both cases, tests were performed considering opaque networks, bringing surprising results, considering the simplicity of solution for a non-trivial problem.

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The 2002 National Security Strategy of the US (NSS 2002) appeared to have presented a momentous approach to self-defense. To many, the doctrine of preemptive selfdefense seemed to challenge the legal and political foundations of the post-World War II international order. Some saw in the US stated reliance on preemption a direct threat to the international system embodied in the UN Charter. The prima facie case that the US position was novel and even dangerous appeared persuasive. This thesis attempts to assess the exceptionality of NSS 2002 in its formulation and implications. This question of exceptionality is broadly divided into two sections. The first section deals with internal exceptionality, in terms of means (the deliberation and drafting processes) and ends (the US defense posture). The second section deals with external exceptionality in the broader terms of possible consequences outside the US. Section One begins by establishing the grounds for looking into the formulation of NSS 2002, and provides the background for that Strategy's mandated precursors. After exploring how National Security Strategy documents are conceived and framed, Section One discusses the Strategy as it was published, and examines a sampling of contemporaneous reactions to its publication. Section Two concentrates on the second part of the research question, and utilizes a thematic approach - in terms of the use of force, the international security environment, and international law. Possible consequences of the proposed US response to contemporary security challenges are considered in these three key areas.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / In 1991, shortly after the combat portion of the Gulf War, key military and government leaders identified an urgent requirement for an accurate on-site tool for analysis of chemical, biological, and nuclear hazards. Defense Nuclear Agency (now Defense Threat Reduction Agency, DTRA) was tasked with the responsibility to develop a software tool to address the requirement. Based on extensive technical background, DTRA developed the Hazard Prediction Assessment Capability (HPAC). For over a decade HPAC addressed the users requirements through on-site training, exercise support and operational reachback. During this period the HPAC code was iteratively improved, but the basic architecture remained constant until 2002. In 2002, when the core requirements of the users started to evolve into more net-centric applications, DTRA began to investigate the potential of modifying their core capability into a new design architecture. This thesis documents the requirements, analysis, and architectural design of the newly prototyped architecture, Integrated Weapons of Mass Destruction Toolset (IWMDT). The primary goal of the IWMDT effort is to provide accessible, visible and shared data through shared information resources and tem plated assessments of CBRNE scenarios. This effort integrates a collection of computational capabilities as server components accessible through a web interface. Using the results from this thesis, DTRA developed a prototype of the IWMDT software. Lessons learned from the prototype and suggestions for follow-on work are presented in the thesis. / Major, United States Army

The challenge of the just war theory in the post-modern era is compounded by technologic advances in warfare and the friction among state actors in a decentralized state system. The inquiry of this investigation on just war is the extent of its validity in an era that extols the sciences and human reason on the one hand and economic necessity on the other as the standard by which state actors regulate their political objectives. The thesis Just war; unjust consequences examines the longevity of the just war tradition, its moral necessity throughout history and its indispensable application in the nuclear age. Chapter 2 examines the moral foundations of the ‘two kingdoms’, which formulates the background of the just war theory, from the biblical account of the great controversy between good and evil to the formation of modern church/state relations. Within the ancient and contemporary setting, ecclesiastical and theological traditions have provided a public platform to establish moral parameters in regards to state actor intent and post-modern application, such as the U.S.-Iraq war. Chapter 3 investigates Augustine’s enduring contribution to the moral and historical formation and longevity of the just war theory. From its earliest development to its modern antecedent the just war theory has been an integral aspect of the philosophical and theological analysis distinguishing ‘why’ and ‘how’ wars are fought and the import of moral parameters to manage international conflict. Chapter 4 examines Reinhold Niebuhr’s contribution to the realist tradition and U.S. foreign policy in the 20th and 21st centuries. This section examines the impact of the modern state actor’s intent for war. The primary issue is that the classical formulation that identifies human nature as the catalyst of social disorder and war is superseded by the scientific method, which adheres to the viewpoint that war is complicated by numerous economic and political factors. Hans Morgenthau’s realist tradition of international relations theory, which advocates that humankind is the centric disruptive force by its abuse of power at all levels of human interaction especially among nations was eventually eclipsed by Kenneth Waltz’s neorealist school of thought, which shifted the culpability of war from the egocentricities of human nature to the disproportions of economic and military power among competing state actors in a decentralized state system. This shift in international relations theory within the framework of weapons of mass destruction contested the validity of the just war tradition in the nuclear age. Chapter 5 reasserts the Christian realist tradition’s viewpoint that the perpetrator for war is the individual actor within collective competitive self-interest, epitomized by the state actor. The classical model is reinstated as a plausible cause for war. It is within this framework that a contemporary adaptation of the just war moral theory is provided to contest the contemporary complexities of warfare in the 21st century. Chapter 6 investigates the practical challenges of modern warfare. The background of Operation Iraqi Freedom reveals the complications of state actor competition in international politics, and the necessity of moral parameters to thwart unwarranted state actor aggression. Finally, Chapter 7 reiterates, the prolonged necessity of the just war tradition in both the ancient and modern eras and, the import of moral parameters to thwart unwarranted state actor aggression and provides a reformulation of the just war moral theory to challenge the viewpoint that deems the utility of weapons of mass destruction as viable national security alternative and its tactical application in warfare. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / gm2015 / Practical Theology / PhD / Unrestricted