The Neoconservatives

by Peter Steinfels

It’s important to take a look at a book about neoconservatism written long before the Iraq War. Reading Peter, you understand that neoconservatives were not initially primarily about foreign policy – let alone starting a war to throw Saddam Hussein out of power. Neoconservatives were originally dissident liberals. People who started out on the left and over time developed doubts about the impact of liberal social policy. I think neoconservatives gave conservatism one of their most powerful concepts which is the law of unintended consequences. It was used as a battering ram against all kinds of liberal programmes, saying, ‘Yes, you intended to do good but look at what in fact this programme actually did.’