THE US LED INVASION OF IRAQ- EXPLAIN AMERICAN OR BRITISH
THINKING
MA GLOBAL AFFAIRS AND DIPLOMACY
FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSIS
BRIGHT OWUSU GYASI
SRN: 1304177
COURSE TUTOR: PROFESSOR DAVID ARMSTRONG
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
The idea was controversial but very compelling: the United States and its allies invaded Iraq
in the early morning of March 17, 2003, in a military operation dubbed ''Operation Iraqi
Freedom'. This mission was initiated with the support of the British, Poland and Australian
governments. By 13 December 2003, the Iraqi 'President'Saddam Hussein was over powered
by the US forces and subsequently arrested a in his hide out at the outskirts of the town
Tikrit1. The American government, backed by the British government at the time saw the
invasion as disarming Iraq of its 'weapons of mass destruction', and also to bring an end to
the terrorist activities that had been harboured (and sponsored) by Saddam Hussein2.
The invasion of Iraq gave birth to the war that later became known as the Iraqi War and was
initiated under the cover of 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' (WMD). The entire invasion
lasted for 21 days of major military operations, comprising of combined force of troops,
from the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland. The attack brought an end to the Saddam
Hussein's Ba'athist government and graced the invasion with a symbolical and a
conventionally fought battle with the capture of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, which was led by
the American forces3. According the then British prime minister, Tony Blair, the war was
prompted by Sadam Hussein's inability to take advantage of the'' final opportunity'', to
1
Jakobsen, Tor George&Jo Jacobsen (2009)''The Game: A Rational Actor Approach to the US-Invasion of Iraq, 2003''Strategic Analysis,
33(5)664-674.
2
Study mode [online]. (2003). Available from: <http://www.studymode.com/essays/Us-Invasion-Of-Iraq-1777814.html>.
[Accessed 05.02.2014].
3
Wesley Clark, Winning Modern Wars(New York: Public Affairs,2003)
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
either deny or confirm his alleged possession of chemical, nuclear and biological WMDs that
was considered to be a threat to world peace4.
This essay seeks to explore explain, and scrutinize the invasion of Iraq and the American
government's thinking. The essay has been divided into three main parts, which starts with
a background to the history leading up to the invasion, followed by the main body where
the American government's thinking on the invasion will be explored and followed with a
summary and conclusion. These essay will analysis three main areas of study:
The United State foreign policy under President George walker bush
The United State strategic position in the Middle East
The desires of president bush ruling coalition5
In an attempt to unravel the US thinking on the Iraq invasion, the main policy of the United
States on the Middle East and the regions importance to the US policy of global dominancy
will be revealed. This American global plan tried to make possible the reach for dominancy
and control over the Middle East. President George W. Bush's wish coincided with the 2002
US national security strategy, was born after the 9/11 attack, and paved the way for this
strategy to come into reality. This strategy was to use preventive wars against resistance
countries to the United States, particularly in the regions of the Middle East6.
4
Wikipedia (2012). 2003 invasion of Iraq [online]. Available from: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_invasion_of_Iraq>.
[Accessed 05.02.2014].
5
6
George W Bush Jr.
Proffessor,Institute Of Middle East, Central Asia and Caucasus studies, university of st.Andrews,Scotland
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
In the thinking of the Americans, total transformation or convert of the Middle East was
very essential to this 2002 national security strategy for a number of reasons. Prominent
among them was the United States' desire to take control over the world oil reserves based
in the Persian Gulf. Oil is a valuable commodity that every economy needs and especially
essential to military power. The ability of the United States to have the world biggest oil
reserves and thus supply the world continues to make them most relevant and powerful
country in the entire global community7.In this strategy, it was discovered that the main
resistance to this hegemony was mostly in the Middle East8.
In 2002, the thinking of the Bush administration to topple the Saddam Hussein's
government was under the pretext of preserving global peace and security. The government
drew attention to the view of Saddam Hussein as a dictator, who had no respect for human
rights and highlighted his arrogance towards the UN Security Council. It was also within the
thinking of the US government that Saddam Hussein was a major financier of a major
terrorist organisation in the Middle East and also invests the proceeds from the country's oil
to the production of WMDs9.
7
Sherle R.Schwenninger,''Revamping America Grand Strategy, World policy Journal,vol.20,no.3,(fall 2003):Osteen
NOreng,cude power:politics and the oil market,London,I.B Tauris,2002.p.51
8
Ibid
9
Wikipedia (2012). 2003 invasion of Iraq [online]. Available from: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_invasion_of_Iraq>.
[Accessed 05.02.2014].
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
The '9/11' incendiary strike on the US is paramount in appreciating the combat in Iraq. Even
though the country as a whole was in no way involved, the attack was a terrible threat to
the US. Coming from the Middle Eastern and 'Muslim world', triggered an act of revenge.
This was because even before the attack there were many officials within the national
security organization who wanted an attack on Iraq, and such personalities saw the 9/11
attack as a golden opportunity to mobilise the American people for war on Iraq to realise
their long held wish. This, they believed would set the motive for the reshaping of the
Middle East to suit the US global hegemony strategy, as described in the 2002 national
security plan10.
It was the thinking of President George W. Bush and the British prime minister, Tony Blair
that the coalition attack on Iraq was to free the Iraqi people from the dictatorial regime of
Saddam Hussein, disarm him of 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' and bring to an end his
support and admiration for terrorist activities11.
Our cause is just, the security of the nations we serve and the peace
of the world. And our mission is clear, to disarm Iraq of weapons of
mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein support for terrorism, and
10
Cabinet level insiders, notably Treasure Secretary Paul O'Neil and terrorism advisor Richard Clark, revealed
that an attack on Iraq was broached at the first national security council meeting of the bush
administration(Ron Suskind,The price of loyalty:george W bush, the white house and the education of Paul
o'Neil:simon&Schuster,2004:Richard clark.against all enemies: inside America's War on Terror, Free Press,2004)
11
the white house [online]. (2003). Available from: <http://georgewbushwhitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030322.html>. [Accessed 04.022014].
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
to free the Iraqi people, the future of peace and the hopes of the
Iraqi people now depends on our fighting forces in the Middle East12
Bush's speech, from the White House, declared to the world the American thinking on the
invasion. The Americans thought the invasion of Iraq would automatically save Kurdistan,
whose people would in turn appreciate with the American people and thus make America
popular in the Middle East in their bid to attain dominancy over the region13.
The United States also cited the Iraqi government disrespectful attitude towards the UN
Security Council, through the violation of UN sanctions and resolutions, and genocides
against the Kurds, Shiites and the Marsh Arab, human right abuses against Hussein's own
people, their attempt to kill a former US president. The United States seems to have
suffered a lot from the Iraqi people, and as such needed a genuine reason to respond. The
9/11 attack was the perfect opportunity to do so. All this were put together and presented to the
world under the pretext of a supposed Weapon of Mass Destruction. as reported by the director of
CIA George Tenet, a which became the reason it was accepted by most governments in the
Middle East and intelligence agencies in Europe14.
Furthermore, it was within the thinking of the US to restructure Iraq and to make it a pro
America country in the Middle East. Their smartest move was trying to turn the perceived
12
Ibid
Smith, Jeffrey R.''Hussein's pre-war Ties to Al-Qaeda Discounted 'The Washington post,Friday,6 April2007:pg
Ao1 Retrieved on 04.02.2014.
13
14
Transcript of U.S.secretary of state Collin Powell's Presentation to the U.N.security council on the U.S. Case
against Iraq''.cnn.com,february 6,2003,accessed05.02.2014
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
enemy into a friend, hence the need to topple Saddam Hussein's government and make way
for democracy. Unlike the 1991 war when the US did not stay in Iraq, the US was
determined to stay and rebuild the country15.
The James Baker report reviewed this case and recommended that for one to understand
the real motive behind the American invasion of Iraq, one will have to shift his attention
from the security threat to an economic strategy, in respect to the oil market. The perceived
US interest in the Middle East and the US government interest of hegemony over the oil
market, at the time of the attack it can be showed that the vulnerability to US oil was on the
increase. The US import dependence rose, and as a result they realised they needed to do
something strategically to overturn matters in their favour16.
According to expert from the oil market, the US situation could have had great
repercussions on the global capitalist economy and prove fatal for the Bush administration.
Iraq in the American government's thinking posed a potential solution to the US oil
vulnerability, since it possessed the world's second largest oil reserves and a relatively
cheaper production and labour cost. However, one could have predicted that as far as
Saddam Hussein continued to rule Iraq, there was no way the US could have had its way
over the Iraqi oil, and it was practically impossible for Hussein to use Iraq oil for the
American people benefit17. At the time, the US realised that its sanction on Hussein was
15
Ibid
16
Wesley Clark, Wining Modern Wars(New York: public affairs,2003)pg.12
John S.Duffield, ''oil and the Iraq war: how the US could have expected to benefit, and mightstill''MERA
Journal,vol.9,no2(June2005)
17
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
affecting the American oil market, which was even complained by the US oil companies.
Despite the US sanction, Hussein sold Iraqi oil on the European market. The Americans upon
sensing this danger saw how the sanction that was meant to punish Saddam Hussein was
hitting back at them needed to do something. It was also within this American thinking that
Hussein could use the Iraqi oil for political reasons because he had tried doing before18.
What even made matters worse for the White House and the American oil merchants was
the US dominance over the Middle East was under serious peril by the disintegration of the
Pax Americana that had been initiated after the gulf war of 1991. This dominancy rested on
the dual agreement between Iran, Iraq and Saudi alliance but all this were at the edge of
breakdown19. It was the US thinking that a reshaped Iraq, which could have provided an
immediate solution at the time. An even deepens the danger for the Americans was that
Iraq and Iran had been gradually getting away with the sanctions imposed on them by the
American government. This sanction was challenged by the Iraqi government with the
support of the Arab world and Iraq had its way and took its oil concessions to the Russians,
China and France20.
It was also within the thinking of the United States that the attack and conquest of Iraq
would make them have full access to the Iraq oil at the expense of their economic rivals in
18
Ibid
The world petro station 'Iraq's past is steeped in oil and blood 'Sunday herald,6 October 2002:Available at
http://www.sundayherald.com/print28226)retrieved on 04.02.2014
19
20
Marc Lynch (2003). Foreign affairs [online]. Available from: <http://www.foreignaffairs.com/author/marc-lynch>. [Accessed
04.02.2014].
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
Europe and Asia, in particular China. To cement their structural superiority and hegemony,
during the war, they then to demonstrated their military power. The US wanted to establish
the right to attack countries that were deemed as a threat to the United States. Iraq, having
a weak military had been used to set a precedent21. This move, they believed will send a
strong signal to the rest of the Arab world, which were perceived as an opposition to the US
hegemony. Even more importantly, they wanted to establish a permanent base in Iraq and
the Gulf region, from which they could use to intimidate and calm their perceived enemies
within the region, notably Syria and Iran, which imposed on them a pro-Israel Pax
Americana in the gulf region. The United States also had the strong belief that this move
would help them impose democracy in the region, which would help spread it across the
Middle East. However, In an attempt to curtail ideas that were in opposition to the
American ideologies and influences22.
Additionally, it was within the thinking of the United States to initiate a system that might
not only see an end to Saddam Hussein dictatorial regime but also influence the Gulf
monarchies to adopt democracy and stop their support for terrorist activities that has taken
the lives of about three thousand American nationals. They also believed that the conquest
of the Hussein government would incite others nationals within the Gulf region, which
would send a strong wave of democracy within the region bringing into life what is now
21
Ibid
22
Joseph Cirincione,''Origins of Regime Change in Iraq. 'Proliferation Brief,6,5,march 19,Carnegie Endowment
for international peace,2003
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
been done and dubbed the ''The Arab Spring'' which will restructure the middle east to the
American advantage23.
To conclude, the thinking of the United States could be captured in President George W.
Bush's speech that he made at the white House on March 22, 2002:
''Our mission is clear; disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to
end Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism and to free the Iraqi
people ''24
Since this speech was made it has fully been revealed that, the 'Weapons of Mass
Destruction' was not the immediate reasons that the Bush administration declared to the
world, and that Saddam Hussein was not in any way connected to the terrorist group that
attack America. As result of this revelation most Americans now believed that the invasion
of Iraq was not for the original reasons that the Bush administration declared, and they
actually deceived the public to gain support against Saddam Hussein for war against Iraq25:
''A poll conducted in America in January 2003, reveals that, 64% of
Americans wanted bush to use military action against the Iraqi
23
Ibid
24
The white house [online]. (2003). Available from: <http://georgewbushwhitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030322.html>. [Accessed 04.022014].
25
Wikipedia (2012). 2003 invasion of Iraq [online]. Available from: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_invasion_of_Iraq>. [Accessed
05.02.2014].
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
government whereas about 63% wanted him to use diplomacy
rather than military action with 62% believing that the threat of
terrorism was bound to increase against the US if they go to war''26.
In summary, Iraq's alleged possession of 'Weapons of Mass Destruction', Iraq's alleged link
to Al Qaeda, freeing the Iraqi people, protecting oil supply commercial merits, promoting
democracy in Iraq and regions in the Middle East, Iraq's violations of the UN security council,
promotion of the US/Israel hegemony in the region, as well as the promotion of the
American government interest which has been cited, discussed and explained as the
thinking of the United State for the invasion of Iraq.
26
Ibid
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
REFERENCES
1. Jakobsen, Tor George&Jo Jacobsen (2009)''The Game: A Rational Actor Approach to the
US-Invasion of Iraq, 2003''Strategic Analysis,33(5)664-674.
2. Study mode [online]. (2003). Available from: <http://www.studymode.com/essays/UsInvasion-Of-Iraq-1777814.html>. [Accessed 05.02.2014].
3. Wesley Clark, Winning Modern Wars (New York: Public Affairs, 2003)
4. Wikipedia (2012). 2003 invasion of Iraq [online]. Available from:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_invasion_of_Iraq>. [Accessed 05.02.2014].
5. Proffessor, Institute Of Middle East, Central Asia and Caucasus studies, university of
st.Andrews, Scotland
6. Shirley R.Schwenninger,''Revamping America Grand Strategy, World policy Journal, vol.20,
no.3, (fall 2003): oystein NOreng, cude power: politics and the oil market, London, I.B Tauris,
2002.p.51
7. The white house [online]. (2003). Available from: <http://georgewbushwhitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030322.html>. [Accessed 04.022014].
8. Smith, Jeffrey R.''Hussein's pre-war Ties to Al-Qaeda Discounted 'the Washington post,
Friday, 6 April2007: pg Ao1 Retrieved on 04.02.2014.
9. John S.Duffield, ''oil and the Iraq war: how the US could have expected to benefit, and
mightstill''MERA Journal, vol.9, no2 (June2005)
10. Marc Lynch (2003). Foreign affairs [online]. Available from:
<http://www.foreignaffairs.com/author/marc-lynch>. [Accessed 04.02.2014].
11. Joseph Cirincione,''Origins of Regime Change in Iraq. 'Proliferation Brief, 6, 5, march 19,
Carnegie Endowment for international peace, 2003.
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank
Bright Owusu Gyasi – President/Founder Mama’s Foundation Policy think Tank