THE ANALYSIS OF UNITED KINGDOM DEFENCE POLICY UNDER TONY BLAIR (2001-2007) AND DAVID CAMERON (2010-2016) ADMINISTRATION IN THE CASE OF 9/11 AND ARAB SPRING

Abstract

Ever since the end of the Cold War, especially after 9/11 attack in 2001, the security in world politics has become more complex. This has urged world leaders, including Tony Blair and David Cameron to maintain strong and firm defence policy as the main tool to deter the threats posed to UK. The emergence of the uprising during Arab Spring also brought the impact towards the security of UK. Terrorism as the effect of 9/11 and dictatorship in the emergence of Arab Spring were perceived threatening UK national security and national interest. Hence, building the security relations with regional organizations is deem necessary for UK to form a strong alliance to also deter the threats. However, defence policy implemented by states is most likely affected by the idiosyncratic factors or personal characteristics of the leaders. This particular research centered upon the explanation of the relations between the idiosyncratic factors of Tony Blair and David Cameron with the defence policy implementation as the response of 9/11 and Arab Spring, by analyzing the threat perception, national interest, and strategic environment of the leaders. The time frame of the research is the second to third term of Blair administration (2001-2007) and the first to early second term of Cameron's administration (2010-2016). Qualitative method with the descriptive order will be utilized to analyze the defence policy implementation during the two former prime ministers administration. This research aims to find the similarities or differences of the defence policy implemented by Tony Blair and David Cameron during their administration.8