Iraq War Analysis

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As a superpower, national interests and international influence are a great concern of U.S. Wars can be a tool to achieve goals. Afghanistan and The Iraq war were considered as these two strategic cards of U.S. The United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 was a response to 9/11 event – an action that was suspected by U.S is of terrorist group Al-Qaeda in order to prevent other security threat to U.S (BBC, 2016). Iraq war was launched in 2003 as a pre-emptive war because of the claim that Saddam Hussein government sponsored for terrorism and had weapons of mass destruction although there were no evidences (Benson, Brannen & Valentine, 2009). Besides victories such as: overthrowning Saddam Hussein and Taliban, eliminating Ossama Bin Laden …show more content…
Firstly, both Iraq and Afghanistan war illustrate neo-conservative ideology in U.S strategy. According to Smith, Hadfield & Dunne (2008), neo-conservatism has four key elements: (1) moral clarity in foreign affairs, (2) preserving American pre-eminence, (3) willingness to use military force to achieve U.S goals and (4) distrust of international law and institutions. Referring to Afghanistan mission as well as Iraqi case, the ‘moral clarity in foreign affairs’ presented by the claim of U.S as ‘war on terror’ when invasions in these two countries for combating terrorism – the global security threat and protect U.S citizens from other attacks beyond 9/11. Moreover, as neo-conservative thinking, democracy is good (Smith, Hadfied & Dunne, 2008). Therefore, Taliban regime and Saddam Hussein must be overthrown to establish democratic states. Neo-conservatism also stress on hegemony and military tool. Thus, eliminating Saddam Hussein created more power to U.S in Middle East. To reach the victories, the military was the best solution. As in the case of Afghanistan, to deal with terrorism, the invasion must be launched. Futhermore, Iraq had a large of oil and the invasion in 2003 was an opportunity of U.S to controled oil in Iraq (Juhasz, 2013). U.N resolution and International laws are not useful in some case. Particullarly, Iraq war in 2003, U.S attack Iraq without waiting second U.N solution (Norton-Taylor, 2006). Secondly, Afghanistan war can be considered as fixing the past problem. Al-Qaeda was sponsored by U.S in the Afghanistan civil war in order to against Soviet Union intervention (Blum, 2014). In spite of Soviet troops removing, Al-Qaeda that was known as Jihadi group turned to anti – America. That lead to a challenge of U.S. In the other word, Al-Qaeda and 11/9 event are miscalculation of U.S before Bush era and 2001 Afghanistan invasion was implemented to solve this

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