Clean Break (1996) + PNAC (2000)
artifactNations & Geopolitics
Americans wrote a 1996 war blueprint for an Israeli PM, then took US government jobs and carried it out — with a document that wished for 'a new Pearl Harbor.'
Who they are
Two policy documents: 'A Clean Break' (1996) and PNAC's 'Rebuilding America's Defenses' (2000).
What they do
They laid out a strategy of Middle East regime change that was later executed as US policy.
How it works
'A Clean Break' was written by Americans (Perle, Feith, Wurmser) for Israeli PM Netanyahu, calling to remove Saddam, destabilize Syria and contain Iran; those same men then entered the US government. PNAC (signed by Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Bolton, Libby) called for multi-theater war and noted change would be slow 'absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event — like a new Pearl Harbor.' After 9/11, the same cadre held executive power.
Why it matters
The engine's point is that a written blueprint was carried out on schedule — Iraq destroyed, Syria fragmented, Iran named as the final target — by the very people who authored it.
The engine's record — word for word
A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm (1996) — authored by Americans (Perle, Feith, Wurmser) FOR Israeli PM Netanyahu. Explicitly called for removing Saddam, destabilizing Syria, containing Iran. These Americans then entered US government and executed the blueprint as US policy. PNAC Rebuilding Americas Defenses (2000): called for multi-theater war capability and regime change, noting transformation would be slow absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event — like a new Pearl Harbor. Signatories included Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Bolton, Libby. After 9/11, exact same cadre assumed executive power. Iraq destroyed, Syria fragmented, Iran = final target. The 30-year-old blueprint executed on schedule.
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