Let's define "neoconservative."

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

I see this term bandied about here quite a bit, seems to have degraded to anyone who is conservative, pro Republican or a supporter of the shrub.

I understand the actual definition of "neoconservative" to have a much more narrow and specific meaning. Neoconservatism refers specifically to a foreign policy stance designed to create and preserve American hegemony in the post Coldwar environment, specifically through a strong military and a demonstrated willingness or even eagerness to use it. It justifies the use of "preemptive war" to achieve these goals. According to this philosophy, whatever means including military can and should be used to not only address actual/potential threats to the U.S. but even to prevent the possible emergence of rivals to U.S. power.

The tenets of neoconservative foreign policy are probably best documented in the various letters and position papers of the Project for a New American Century, the organization which contained some of neoconservative's most influential proponents such as Wolfowitz and Perle:

http://newamericancentury.org/

It has since become manifest in the National Security Strategy of the United States under Bush, published in 2002, with the new emphasis on preemptive or "preventive war":

http://www.cdi.org/national-security-strategy/washington.cfm

The origins of the movement are attributed to Professor Leon Strauss at the University of Chicago. Administration neocons include Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz (DOD), Shulsky/Feith (Defense Intelligence), Perle (Defense Policy Board), Elliot Abrams (NSA). Neocon policies, and the fact that many of the prominent neocons are Jewish, have led to accusations by some critics of excessive fealty to Israel by the neocons (e.g. Pat Buchanan), and to accusations of its critics as anti-Semites by some (e.g. David Brooks in the NYT).

I believe the term "neoconservative" refers to the fact that many of the practitioners had leftist or socialist politics in an earlier life, and that these ideological backgrounds underpin the activist nature of neocon foreign policy.

This is my understanding of this very dangerous movement. I understand neoconservatism to involve specifically foreign policy and is not to my knowledge related to domestic policies like tax cuts for the rich or Bible thumping conservative social agendas. I think we should strive to be very accurate in describing who or what we are opposing. Any further enlightenment or correction of this definition is welcome on this thread.

[leyton]

1. I agree, and you make an important distinction.

I think you're pretty much right in your definition of neo-Conservative. I think of it as those who support a Pax Americana, so to speak, regardless of their political party or other views. PNACers, essentially. Rod Paige wouldn't be a neo-Conservative; neither would Colin Powell probably. (Just going by the CW on these figures.) Maybe not even Bush, especially if you subscribe to notion that either he is a puppet for Cheney or that he initiated the war because it was politically beneficial (I subscribe to the second more than the first).

And your distinction between foreign policy agendas and other conservative agendas is important. Neoconservatism doesn't really have much to do with tax cuts (that's more a matter of Reaganomics) or stuff like that.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. I do agree with you that shrub "went with the PNAC agenda" on

the Iraq invasion primarily for political expediency. My personal read on the guy (shrub) is that he is probably the ultimate shallow opportunist, not much of a true believer in anything. Rove probably sold him that at a time with crappy economy and all Enronesque corporate scandal in the news, that the agenda of the rabid neocon true believers (i.e. Wolfowitz) was useful to the shrub by flogging the electorate with IWR before midterms (worked like a charm), and shoring up shrub's own "stature" as a "war president".

I am continually amazed that despite all the revelations of duplicity, Ted Kennedy is just about the only one who has openly levelled the charge of the the war being started for domestic political yield.

[Leilani]

3. They differ from classic conservatives

mainly in foreign policy, however they do not adhere to small government, fiscal conservatives. That's why very few are upset about all this deficit spending.

All of the above that you mentioned are indeed the movers & shakers influencing this admin., but it goes further back to the hawkish Democrats, like Henry Scoop Jackson, & Jeanne Kirkpatrick.

Irving Kristol is named as one of the founders, father of Bill Kristol, pundit, & editor of Weekly Standard.

I would agree completely with what you wrote, & just add that they started to become an actual force in the Reagan Admin. Bush Sr had no use for them, & so they schemed & plotted throughout his time & all through Bill Clinton's 2 terms.

With Bush Jr. they finally arrived: the perfect empty vessel, & with Cheney calling all the shots, they have run things throughout this Presidency.

[Disturbed]

4. Cheney is The President.

Shrub is merely the lousy spokesperson for the Neocons. I say lousy because he is a terrible speaker and PR person. Poppa Bush insisted on shrub becoming Pres. so the Neocons went along with it because Poppa has the power.