Project 2005 - PNAC Changed Everything

Established in 1997, The Project for a New American Century (PNAC) was an attempt by GOP insiders to remake U.S. foreign policy into a neo-conservative world order.

Largely successful, PNAC altered the course of American history by installing supporters throughout the G.W. Bush administration and using the tragedy of the September 11th terrorist attacks to their advantage.

It was originally founded by William Kristol and Robert Kagan who stated their goal was “to promote American global leadership”.

Twenty-five original signators backed the project, ten of whom went on to serve in the Bush administration. Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz were chief among them.

PNAC had massive, transformative goals from the outset, some of which would be diametrically opposed by today’s GOP. It suggested “benevolent global hegemony,” a “more elevated vision of America’s international role,” strengthening ties with democratic allies, and “challenging regimes hostile to our interests and values.” All of these values would be rejected by the Trump regime.

However, other values would be right at home. In a letter to President Bill Clinton, PNAC stated the U.S. “cannot continue to be crippled by a misguided insistence on unanimity in the UN Security Council” and “the U.S. has the authority under existing UN resolutions to take the necessary steps, including military steps, to protect our vital interests in the Gulf” which sounds like something out of Hegseth’s office, except he’d probably be talking about Greenland, Panama, or Canada.

PNAC was obsessed with change in Iraq. Almost immediately after 9/11, they wrote a letter to President Bush advocating regime change suggesting “any strategy aiming at the eradication of terrorism and its sponsors must include a determined effort to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq”. Members stated on multiple occasions that leaving Hussein in power would be a “surrender to terrorism”.

They were also adamant about building up the military and were highly vocal about it for the entire decade. In a report titled Rebuilding America’s Defenses PNAC advocated to "seek to preserve and extend its position of global leadership" by "maintaining the preeminence of U.S. military forces.” That statement could be read today by Trump or Hegseth verbatim and no one would bat an eye.

The success PNAC achieved regarding defense spending is staggering. In 2001, the U.S. spent about $331.8 billion on defense. By 2010, that number had skyrocketed to $752.29 billion, more than doubling. PNAC had called for annual increases of 4%-6% and got far more. Sure, the 9/11 attacks helped their argument, but American taxpayers were largely frothing at the mouth for more guns and bombs, and PNAC members were quick to capitalize through media highlights and Bush administration influence.

By 2006 the organization had largely shut down and according to former executive director Gary Schmitt that was because PNAC “had "already done its job", and adding "our view has been adopted"

Now Project 2025 seeks to change American life even more dramatically.

Can we stop them this time?