Leo Strauss and the Invasion of Iraq: Encountering the Abyss

The political philosophy of Leo Strauss has been the subject of significant scholarly and media attention in recent years, particularly in the context of the decision to invasion of Iraq in 2003. During the period since then, questions have been raised regarding the influence of 'Straussian' individuals at the highest levels of the Bush administration. However, the existing literature, both in International Relations (IR) and in other disciplines, fails to provide a detailed tracing of the ways in which the activities of Straussians reflect Strauss' political philosophy. Indeed, those defending Strauss and the Straussians have focused on this as a means to undermine such challenges. The proposed book offers such an exploration, demonstrating the ways in which elements of Strauss' thought are visible in the activities of Straussians during this period in the spheres of intelligence production, think tanks, and the media. Such a tracing is undertaken not simply to demonstrate these connections and interventions, but also to challenge the logic underpinning Straussian thought. The book enacts deconstructive challenge to Strauss' political philosophy which unsettles the fundamental assumptions it relies upon. In doing so, it exposes the securitising imperative underpinning Straussian thought and the Straussian interventions. It thereby contributes to crucial issues relating to IR theory, on the one hand, and contemporary foreign policy, on the other, while asserting that these dimensions of IR can and should be dealt with in conjunction with each other.