Pollack traces the narrative arc of iraq s fortunes from the american invasion in 2003 to the present day. The reasons for us involvement and events during the invasion are still debated to this day due to their unclear and controversial nature. As is well known, saddam husseins regime was based on and privileged the arab sunni minority, which dominated the arab shia majority, the kurdish. Constitutional issues concerning a possible war with iraq were. Intervention in iraq by fred aprim, author and historian. Pdf could the military intervention in iraq in 2003 be. Bush was a pessimistic character during invasion of iraq, 2003 and his policy towards global a. In fact, the different phases of the security councils engagement with iraq provide a useful lens through which to study the evolution of the council since the end of the cold war. Iraqs failure at wmd disarmament threatening world peace was the. This was exacerbated by failure to find weapons of mass destruction, the mistreatment of prisoners in the abu ghraib prison, and. Before the 2003 iraq war, the political leadership of the united states and united kingdom had to sell the case for war to their people and the world. Because of the potential loss of life inherent in any military action, the author contends that a threshold test of a humanitarian intervention is whether it is necessary to stop ongoing or imminent mass slaughter. But a fierce iraqi resistance, persistent economic and political problems, and continuing international criticism forced the usuk to seek.
In 2003, the united states expressed their intention to democratize iraq in order to create a model for the rest of the countries in the middle east. Aug 01, 2011 the united states decision to launch a preventive attack on iraq in 2003 resulted in significant international resentment, plummeting approval ratings of the bush administration and domestic disenchantment which manifested itself with subsequent election results. The us army in the iraq war army war college publications. The war in iraq reminds us of the role that uncertainty and fric tion play in both the. After us invasion of iraq in 2003, most gulf states began to enhance to their relations with united states to ensure their position and fear from us attacks. May 18, 2015 eventually, the united states began to work with sunni tribes, strongmen and militias, in a coalition called the anbar awakening, to contain the insurgency and quell alqaeda in iraq. Thesis submitted for the master of law degree at the university of copenhagen. The 2003 invasion of iraq was the first stage of the iraq war. Further information may be obtained from the strategic planning division, directorate of plans, hq usaf.
Library of congress cataloginginpublication data the iraq effect. Just war in iraq 2003 some legal problems jus ad bellum in international law derived from the us government and coalition forces intervention in iraq in march 2003. Just war theory and the usled war on iraq from 2003. The us invasion of iraq markus nikolas heinrich, mar 9 2015, 59120 views. The 2003 invasion of iraq lasted from 19 march 2003 to 1 may 2003 and signaled the start of the conflict that later came to be known as the iraq war, which was incited under wmd pretext and dubbed operation iraqi freedom by the united states.
Us regime change efforts and postwar iraq every crs. This was reflected in october 2002 us congressional resolution, the authorizing the use of military force against iraq resolution 2002,9 which was based on a combination of preemptive selfdefense and prior security council authorization. Not a humanitarian intervention human rights watch. To this end, it has enacted protectionist measures and trade policies to iraqs disadvantage, tried.
Governmental positions on the iraq war prior to the 2003. The president spent a lot of time and energy trying to increase his margin for maneuver by convincing the american people and congress to support a regimechange intervention in iraq. Explanations and implications article pdf available in critique critical middle eastern studies 163. Iraq war, even when caught using chemical weapons, by many of the same. Iraq liberation act of 1998 a problematic policy the iraq liberation act continued justification for intervention criticism joint operation predominantly led by president bush and prime minister tony blair. The military stabilization operation in afghanistan from 2001 to 20 involved a more limited direct military commitment than japan and iraq. Although there has been approximately bases and american troops in turkey since the cold war years, incirlik air base has come to mind when it is talked about american hegemony. The operation, also dubbed as the operation iraaqi freedom by the us may also be taken as one of the carryover conflicts from afghanistan. Lessons from us interventions to japan, afghanistan and iraq. Information activities against iran washington institute, 2010. Aug 19, 2006 this article assesses whether the 2003 invasion of iraq can be justified as a humanitarian intervention. The 2003 invasion of iraq has become the largest, longest, and most costly use of armed force by the united states since the vietnam war. Paulus 2004 and its devastating impact on iraqi society.
A us air strike on a religious school in afghanistan killed seven children. Apr 09, 2018 to understand iraqs current reality, we must confront not just 15 years of u. The invasion consisted of 21 days of major combat operations, in which a combined force of troops from the united states, the united kingdom, australia. Brutal as saddam husseins reign had been, the scope of the iraqi governments killing in march 2003 was not of the exceptional and dire magnitude that would justify humanitarian intervention. This study gives detail information about american invasion of iraq in 2003 and explains.
Terrorists had infiltrated the united states and brought the battlefield onto american soil for the first time since pearl harbor. In south vietnam, as long as the policies that were followed were in agreement with the u. Politics and governance congressional research service summary iraq s sectarian and ethnic divisionsmuted toward the end of the 2003 2011 u. Wilson, usa, of the united states military academys department of social. The invasion phase began on 19 march 2003 air and 20 march 2003 ground and lasted just over one month, including 26 days of major combat operations, in which a combined force of troops from the united states, the united kingdom, australia and poland invaded iraq. What the united states can leave behind in iraq foreign affairs, 2010, and the missing lever. By contrast, the united statesled coalition forces justified the invasion of iraq on a. These attacks were occurred in the early morning and according to cbs news killed more 2,973 including hijackers. The united states, though, is not responsible for the hostility that exists among iraqs three main communities.
The us military intervention in iraq in march 2003 and the protracted violence it has unleashed constitute a defining moment of the postcold war period. Was the decision by the us government to invade iraq. March 17, 2003, the united states launched operation iraqi freedom, a war effort to disarm iraq and change its regime. The first of these was a brief, conventionally fought war in marchapril 2003, in which a combined force of troops from the united states and great britain with smaller contingents from several other countries invaded iraq and rapidly defeated iraqi military and paramilitary forces. But he has hitherto refrained from using the damning word. For the us, the use of force in iraq epitomized a lawful use of preemptive selfdefense against terrorism. Persian gulf intensified and president bush, other top u.
Jul 30, 20 in the fall and rise and fall of iraq, kenneth m. Inquiry lesson outline abstract after september 11th, 2001, the united states was forced to cope with a new kind of enemy. Iraq war, also called second persian gulf war, 200311, conflict in iraq that consisted of two phases. Was the iraq war a humanitarian intervention journal of. Iraq war, conflict in iraq 200311 that consisted of two phases. The us intervention in afghanistan is beginning to look a lot like iraq. Theories of conflict and the iraq war daniel lieberfeld.
The bush administration has justified its war against iraq on three grounds. Us military expansion and intervention in afghanistan. May 30, 2016 on march 20, 2003 the united states invaded iraq and unknowingly began an eightyear occupation of the country, destabilizing the middle east and costing countless lives and dollars. In the first instance, it was a part of the counterattack the us embarked on against terrorism in the wake of the 911 atrocities. This essay will attempt to determine whether the decision by the united states government to invade iraq in 2003 was justified under just war theory. Iraq, where the united states and iran have vied for influence since the 2003 usled invasion, has become a flashpoint in recent months amid regional strikes. The entrance of us troops into baghdad in the first weeks of april 2003 destroyed the iraqi state.
Grab the best paper we use cookies to create the best experience for you. Michael knights is a lafer fellow at the washington institute, specializing in the military and security affairs of. Britain working to ease iraq tensions after rocket attacks. Kuwaitis are optimistic about their future because saddam hussein became out of power in iraq. On january 29, 2003, the european parliament passed a nonbinding resolution opposing unilateral military action against iraq by the united states. Could the military intervention in iraq in 2003 be justified as a humanitarian intervention. International law and the 2003 invasion of iraq revisited. The us invasion of iraq in 2003 was the culmination of a long series of events and the product of many complex, different, and yet interrelated factors. The causes and consequences of the iraq war politics essay. Pdf on jan 1, 2007, raymond hinnebusch published the us invasion of iraq. The american invasion of iraq sam center for strategic. Iraq invasion 2003 essay example topics and well written.
Washington justified its attack, stating that it was not aware that the children were inside the school and that the taliban used the children as human shields. Many have analysed this violence primarily in terms of the legality of the use of force bellamy 2003. The us intervention in iraq 2003 by alex chan on prezi. Saddam husseins alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction, his. This early stage of the war formally ended on 1 may 2003 when u. The research described in this report was sponsored by the united states air force under contract fa701406c0001. Iraq s failure at wmd disarmament threatening world peace was the. The us intervention focused on building the strength of afghan institutions, but failed to make significant progress in accomplishing this goal. Contingency operations series includes bibliographical references and index. Politics and governance congressional research service summary iraqs sectarian and ethnic divisionsmuted toward the end of the 20032011 u. This effort was primarily based on the assumption that the iraqi dictator was developing weapons of mass destruction wmds.