2000 words + bibliography
Discuss the main causes of the Third Gulf War in 2003
Intro: 200 words
Main: 1600 words
Conclusion: 200 words
Topics to be looked at:
– 9/11
– Bushs rogue state theory
– WMD
– Lobbying by prominent Iraqi exiles to Washington
– Iraqs vast oil reserves stability of oil flow
– Neo conservative political thought and influence
– Democracy a virtue believe in the exportation liberal values
– Geopolitical importance proximity to Iran
– Military-industrial complex
– Deterrence
– Realism
– Axis of evil Rogue state theory
– Political aims/motives
– A visible enemy
– The domino effect
– Wilsonianism
– The desire to spread democracy
– Post 9/11 security environment
– George Bushs destiny
– New world order
– Ahmed Chalabi
– Offensive realism
– Securitization theory
– The Bush doctrine
Main causes:
– 9/11
o Many argue that if not for 9/11, the invasion would be unthinkable
o Fear in the U.S
o Maintain unipolarity and hegemony
o The need for a visible enemy
o The need for deterrence
– Intense lobbying
o Mearsheimer & Walt argue the Iraq war would not have been possible without Israel
o Prove how influential this was on foreign policy in the Middle East
o Americas Military industrial complex
o Hawkish element in the Bush administration
o Ahmed Chalabi
– Realist theory, neoconservatism, anarchic international system,
o Political motives and interests
o Security dilemma
o The need to establish control in the middle east
o Invading Iraq would solve a many number of problems/threats the U.S. faced
o A vision of regime change
o Offensive realism
Essential reading list:
– One War, Many Reasons: The US Invasion of Iraq Written by Markus Nikolas Heinrich
– (John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt) Chapter 8
– The “Israel Lobby” and American Politics – Author(s): Robert C. Lieberman Source: Perspectives on Politics, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Jun., 2009), pp. 235-257
– Chapter Title: The U.S. Invasion of Iraq, 2003 – Book Author(s): David C. Gompert, Hans Binnendijk and Bonny Lin
– The Iraqi Diaspora and the US Invasion of Iraq Walt Vanderbush chapter 9
– Chapter Title: The Push for War – Making the World Safe for Capitalism – Christopher Doran – 2012
– Perceiving Rogue States: The Use of the “Rogue State” Concept by U.S. Foreign Policy Elites – K. P. O’Reilly
– Rogue states and territorial disputes Author(s): Sara McLaughlin Mitchell and Peter F. Trumbore
This paper requires the use of multiple prominent scholarly works, articles, sites, etc.
At least 15 references is required
Please use Google scholar, Jstor, and other sources to find more valid references and sources of information
