Iraq War

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Iraq War
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Iraq basics

• One of the largest Arab nations in Middle East
• 2nd largest proven oil reserves in world
• Ethnic Kurds in North--15
• Sunni Arabs, in middle--30
• Shiite Arab, in South--50

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Colonial History

• After defeat of Ottoman Empire, British Mandate
  1918-1930
• 1920, and on--The Great Iraqi Revolution

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Background US in the Region

• 1979--Iranian Revolution and hostages
• Recently emerged Baath Party dictator, Saddam
  Hussein begins war with Iran
• Reagan administration supports Saddam

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Gulf War I 1991

• 1990 Saddam invades Kuwait
• US and coalition troops, with UN sanction, attack
• Saddam fires scud missiles on Israel
• Saddam forced to retreat

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George H. Bushs decision

• expel but not overthrow Saddam
• under UN sanction
• establish no-fly zones
• econ sanctions
• weapons inspections under UN (1991-98, 2002-2003)

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A job half done?

• 1998 Congress passes, Clinton signs, Iraq
  Liberation Act
• 2000 Republican platform calls for full
  implementation
• neo-cons calling for overthrow

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Build-up to War

• 2002 Congress passes Authorization for use of
  military force (AUMF)
• UN orders weapons inspectors out as American
  invasion appears immanent
• theory of pre-emptive war vs preventative war
• Bush orders Saddam and sons out
• war begins on March 20 2003

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Role of UN

• Security Council Resolution 1441 called for
  compliance with weapons inspection or serious
  consequences
• US seeks UN authorization for invasion, France,
  China, Russia refuse
• Bush claims to be enforcing 1441
• Kofi Annan says US in violation of UN

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Invasion force

• 83 US
• 15 UK
• 2 Coalition of the Willing

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Shifting justifications

• links to terror and Al-Qaeda
• supposed meeting in Prague
• WMD
• Dubious tubes and uranium purchases
• Liberating Iraq