“In recent times US grand strategy has been guided by a new kind of doctrine, named after not its author but its exemplar: the Costanza doctrine”, writes Michael Fullilove, director of the global issues programme at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney.
“This doctrine”, argues Mr Fullilove, “recalls the classic episode of the TV comedy Seinfeld, “The Opposite”, in which George Costanza temporarily improves his fortunes by rejecting all the principles according to which he has lived his life and doing the opposite of what his training indicates he should do.”
Mr Fullilove believes that the Iraq policy pursued by the Bush administration satisfies the Costanza criterion because it is the opposite of every foreign policy the world has ever met.
Ask the expert: Bush’s ‘Seinfeld’ strategy (Financial Times, via Stop the Spirit of Zossen)
Youtubery: Seinfeld clip
Wow, what a great concept! “Instead of engaging in diplomacy, I’ll make like a overcompensating cowboy. Rather than using my country’s values as a platform, we’ll trash everything we’ve stood for and turn our allies against us!”
“Hi, I’m Victoria!”
Can’t miss….sigh.
Decatur out.