Neoconservatism (commonly shortened to
neocon) is a political movement born in the United States during the 1960s among Democrats who became disenchanted with the party's domestic and especially foreign policy. Many of its adherents became politically famous during the Republican presidential administrations of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Neoconservatives peaked in influence during the administrations of
George W. Bush and
George H W Bush, when they played a major role in promoting and planning the
2003 invasion of Iraq. Prominent neoconservatives in the Bush administration included
Paul Wolfowitz,
John Bolton,
Elliott Abrams,
Richard Perle,
Robert Kagan and
Paul Bremer. Senior officials Vice President
Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld, while not identifying themselves as neoconservatives, listened closely to neoconservative advisers regarding foreign policy, especially the defense of Israel, the promotion of democracy in the Middle East, and the buildup of American military forces to achieve these goals. The neocons have influence in the
Obama White House, and neoconservatism remains a staple in both parties' arsenal.