La gran estrategia británica del nuevo laborismo en el periodo 1997-2007: ¿constructivismo o realismo?
Keywords:
Grand strategy, United Kingdom, constructivism, new labourism, Tony BlairAbstract
Este artículo analiza la evolución de la gran estrategia británica del nuevo laborismo durante la década 1997-2007. Estos años se corresponden con el mandato de Tony Blair como Primer Ministro del Gobierno de Reino Unido. El análisis se articula en torno a cuatro parámetros: las señas de identidad de la gran estrategia como poder axial; el europeísmo renovado, donde el concepto de puente estratégico entre Estados Unidos y la Unión Europea adquiere un significado renovado; la doctrina de la Comunidad Internacional y la dimensión ética en la política exterior británica; y las guerras de elección en Afganistán (2001) y en Irak (2003) tras los atentados terroristas del 11S. Este artículo defiende que Tony Blair hizo uso de un constructivismo selectivo, expresión que hace referencia a la evolución desde posiciones más constructivistas, con una fuerte retórica en defensa de los derechos humanos, hacia posturas más realistas, donde prevalecen los intereses nacionales. En el caso particular del periodo analizado, este artículo demuestra cómo la decisión de involucrarse en la invasión de Irak en 2003 fue un grave error, que rompió una de las máximas de la gran estrategia británica, como es el papel de puente estratégico.
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