Background to the U.S. Led War in Iraq - Research Paper Example

Background to the U.S.-Led War in Iraq Based on, the recent wars that have happened on Gaza, in December 2008 and early January 2009 as well as Lebanon in 2006 manifests that the Palestine-Israel conflict (1948) is among the leading source of war, oppression, and violence. The war is motivated by the need to control Palestine between the native Christian, Arab, and Muslim Palestinians who have kept on resisting expulsion and dispossession from the growing Jewish settlers who have the intention of making Palestine a state for the Jews. Since the United States government have kind of shown support to Israel towards this ongoing war, the Arabs and Muslims have been dissatisfied and angry with the position. For a long time the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a Cold War (1946-1991) as they manifested their rivalry as superpowers economically, politically, militarily. The reasons it was termed as “Cold War” is because there was nothing like direct military engagement between the two superpowers. The Cold War included continuous bloody proxy wars that were directed to the developing countries of the Global South by the superpowers. The wildly recognized war of Cold War included - the Soviet-Afghan War 1979-1989, here the U.S. forces majorly concentrated “in the ground” while Soviet forces concentrated “on the ground.” In the American-Vietnam War 1959-1975, here while the Soviet forces were engaged “in the background,” the U.S. forces were engaged “on the ground.” However, in Afghanistan and Vietnam, both the United States and Soviet forces were defeated. Negative effects such as economic hardship, political turmoil, human devastation as well as ideological argument became the subject of discussion within the developing countries of the Global South contrary to the peaceful atmosphere that existed within the countries of the Global North. Like, the aftermath of the American-Vietnam war left 3 to 4 million Vietnamese dead and the same to 1.5 to 2 million Cambodians and Laos as well as many more million of them rendered homeless turning to be refugees, while only 58,000 U.S. soldiers were killed and 300000 were left with wounds. A number approximated to be 700,000 and 1.3 million Afghans were killed in the Soviet-Afghan War and left 4.5 million of them in refugee camps mainly in Iran and Pakistan while only 15,000 Soviet troops were left dead and 37,000 got wounds. Among the strategic goals of Israel when the Cold War was at its peak was to influence the Western powers into forcing the Soviet Union to allow Soviet Jewry move to Palestine-Israel and their resettlement to be paid by United States.11 The suggestion of one of the Zionist leader of the Jewish Movement by the name Anatoly Shcharansky, within the Soviet Union was that the final disintegration of the Soviet Union was largely determined by the Jewish emigration movement .22 However, the opinion was refuted by the KGB who considered Soviet Jewish Zionists as criminals in the service of Israel with intention of damaging Soviet Union. As the Soviet-Afghan War was continuing, the CIA, headed by 3 U.S. administrations, as well as those that were in support of this such as Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, France, Britain, China, Pakistan, and Egypt were involved in organizing and training guerilla of Afghani, Pakistan Muslims, and Arabs known as “Islamist mujahedeen” so that they could have the capability of defeating the Soviets in Afghanistan (atheist). While writing a memo to President Jimmy Carter concerning the issue of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 26, 1979, Zbigniew Brzezinski, a U.S. National Security Adviser, gave the following suggestions as part of the solutions: He argued that it was important for a prolonged Afghanistan resistance. This was to aid in providing money and arms to the rebels as well as technical advice, however for such to possible there was need to: reassure Pakistan and have the encouraged on assisting the rebels and that needed some sort of review to the existing policy towards Pakistan such as additional arms and additional guarantees; encourage the Chinese towards assisting the rebels as well; have a concert with Islamic countries in some covert action campaign and in propaganda campaign in order to assist the rebels; inform the soviets about their action jeopardizing SALT and at the same time such influences the substance towards China’s visit by Brown, because there was no doubt that the Chinese will be more concerned with the potential implications in their nation that Soviet assertiveness might have on their close border ; and lastly there is need of considering having Soviet actions in Afghanistan taken to the U.N. as a threat to peace. Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote another memo to President Jimmy Carter concerning the same issue of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan on December 29, 1979, noting that for the three days of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: A strong statement was made by the president; a public statement was made by Secretary of State; A Security Council meeting was initiated; there was suspension of bilateral talks with the Soviets regarding use of atom in a peaceful way; an instruction was given to embassy of Moscow to have restriction on the entire official and social contacts with Soviet officials. US President Ronald Reagan in 1985 was quoted referring the Afghan mujahedeen “freedom fighters” who “are our brothers.” Saudi ambassador to US, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, in his statement said that Bin Laden in different occasion visited us , “when America-underline, America” via Saudi Arabia and CIA, took part in assisting our brother mujahideen in Afghanistan, defeat the communist secularist Soviet Union forces. Thanking for bringing the American to have them assisted, Osama bin Laden came in person, and he could not imagined Osama leading “eight ducks across the street.” While acknowledging the fact that indeed in 1980s US participated in the creation of the Islamic jihad in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan, she failed to explain that the main reason behind it was to forcefully make Soviet Union lift ban on the emigration of Soviet Jews to Palestine. The result of the defeat as well as withdrawal of Soviet troops was Afghanistan Having a “failed state” hence paving the way for power struggle between mujahedeen factions. Out of this power struggle Afghan Taliban movement was born thereby spreading the control it had to several parts of the country in 1996 to 2001, marking its end after being overthrown by invasion of United States in Afghanistan based on the terrorist attacks of 9/11 planned by al-Qaida and their leader ex-Saudi Osama Bin Laden who was also an ally of Afghan Taliban movement. However, following Iraq being invaded by U.S. based on false accusations that it had weapons of mass destruction, had attacked the U.S., and was linked with the 9/11 attack, the world started viewing United States in another perspective since they had started realizing that in real sense war on Iraq was another thing altogether.33 Looking critically whoever was responsible and the reasons behind U.S. led war in Iraq. Five justifications, or explanations, or may be excuses came out: a) Searching for illegal weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, b) punishing Iraq on basis of links with Al-Qaeda-Hussein, c) spreading democracy as well freedom in the Middle East, d) have control on oil fields as well as business contracts, and e) providing long term security for the Gulf States or the state of Israel. The two explanation given of punishing Iraq on basis of links with Al-Qaeda-Hussein and searching for illegal weapons of mass have been identified as unrealistic and farfetched as already shown above.44 The other argument of spreading democracy as well as freedom in the Middle East has been derived from political public speaking than the reality in the Middle East political. As a matter of fact some of the best Arab friends and allies of U.S. government within the middle East include United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, all of them having monarchies government but not democracies. Again, a special friend of U.S. government as well as an ally in the Middle East is Israel state and the only Middle East’s democratic nation.55 However, the nation of Israel is highly ‘Jewish ethnocracy’ meaning that its democracy is only for Jews. Since Israel as a nation was founded based on the ethnic cleansing of Christians and Muslims who originated from Palestine, it has continued to discriminate legally between Jews and non Jews, such as in the Law of “Return.” In the other explanation of having control on oil fields as well as business contracts: In the first place no public record has shown big oil companies rallying behind the Iraq war or the recent confrontation that have taken place with Iran. Bush as the President of United State promised the American that he will have more than 75% of the US oil imports originating from the Middle East replaced by 2025. Again, the Energy Policy of Obama as the President of United States state clearly that its main objective is ending United States’ addiction to foreign oil as well as cutting down recent imports from mainly Middle East and Venezuela. Also, the top Energy Policy of the American Jewish Committee for a long time had concentrated on putting a stop to US oil imports from the Middle East, a strategy aiming at leavening the predominantly Arab OPEC weak. Based on the above findings, it clearly shows that this kind of shift to other new sources of energy has not gotten its motivation from environmental or economic concerns. The American Jewish Committee stated that in case U.S. will go on with its continuous reliance on sources of oil from foreign nations, then the dependency of U.S. on members of the OPEC nations as well as rogue nations will definitely increase6.6 Hence they are urging the nation to establish as the main objective to have a comprehensive energy policy that can reduce significantly dependency of U.S. on oil that have been imported. The last explanation given of providing long term security for the Gulf States or the state of Israel: During the launching of the Iraq war campaign by the Vice-President Cheney prior to holding a meeting that was attended by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, his statement was that inaction’s risk were far greater as compared to action’s risks. However, campaign of Cheney could read as a combination of campaign towards Iraq war that was launched in the United States by Israel leaders themselves. Evidences were extensive like when Netanyahu, former Israel Prime Minister arrived in Washington in order to brief U.S. Senators as well as Washington Post’s editor regarding removal of Saddam. Foreign minister of Israel, Peres, featured on CNN saying that Saddam Hussein was dangerous just like bin Laden. Former Prime Minister of Israel, Barak, wrote in the Washington Post that President Bush should at first concentrate on Iraq as well as removal of Saddam Hussein. The Prime Minister of Israel, Sharon, was quoted telling Foreign Affairs Committee of the Knesset that there greatest danger facing Israel is Iraq. Effect of U.S. - Iraq War According to survey by Iraqi health ministry and The World Health Organization (WHO) carried in 10,860 households in 2007, their estimate from the war was 151,000 civilian deaths between April 2003 and June 2006.77 This war also led to many civilians fleeing their homes to other neighboring countries, such as since the start of Iraq war in 2003 more than 2 million Iraqi refugees are found in Syria and Jordan after fleeing from their homes. There is another 2 million refugee who are displaced inside Iraq. It was approximated in March 2008, that 4,900 Iraqi refugees came to be settled again in the United States since the start of the war in 2003. Contrary, Sweden which is a country that has 3 percent of the whole United States, and about almost twice the number of asylum seekers in just 2006 was able to receive 18,500 asylum applications in 2007. Links Between the Iraq war and Arab Spring Uprisings Overthrowing of Saddam Hussein as well as toppling the entire succession of Arab dictators is closely connected. Some of the people who have been behind the Arab Spring are ready to admit publicly the potential correlation between the end of bloody reign of Mr. Hussein and their revolutions. The activists have been in constant denial that the very demand for democracy and freedom, home ground and organic, was somehow based on the war they saw as imperialistic and illegitimate. For clear connection between overthrowing Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and overthrowing of Mr. Hussein in 2003, it is essential to trace the fact back to 1990 when the army of Iraq marched into Kuwait. It was the first war in the gulf regions where the occupying army of Iraq was driven away by the American-led coalition while enjoying the support it got from various Arab governments. Invasion of Hussein towards Kuwait was a threat to the existing order that was keeping authoritarian regimes in power for several decades and most Arab leaders were ready to have a fight in order to restore it. Conclusion The relationship of United States and the Israel is well evidenced in their stand on some of the issues affecting either one of these two nations. Terrorism that is now threatening the two nations was facilitated by United States itself as they supported the Islamic jihad in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan. It was not necessary for United States to use military force against Iraq since the explanation that are provided as behind the attack are till today raising eye brow to exact what was the intention of the attack. Bibliography 1. Adam Clymer, “Pro-Israel Lobby Readies for Fight," New York Times, Sep 15, 1991. pg. A.9.). 2. YaacovRo’i, "The Jewish Movement in the Soviet Union," 2004, pages 11, 57, 59, 392). 3. Walter P. & Dana M., “Al Qaeda-Hussein Link Is Dismissed,” Washington Post, 2004, Accessed November 18, 2014, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47812-2004Jun16.html 4. Wayne Drash, “The Struggle For Iraq: Report: No WMD stockpiles in Iraq,” CNN, Washington, 2004, Accessed November 18, 2014, http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/06/iraq.wmd.report/index.html 5. Emad Mekay, “ IRAQ: War Launched to Protect Israel – Bush Adviser,” Inter Press Service, 2014, Accessed November 18, 2014, http://www.ipsnews.net/2004/03/iraq-war-launched-to-protect-israel-bush-adviser/ 6. The American Jewish Committee, "Energy Security for America," May 5, 2003, Accessed November 18, 2014, http://www.kintera.org/atf/cf/%7B42D75369-D582-4380-8395-D25925B85EAF%7D/EnergySecurityForAmerica.pdf. 7. Jonathan Steel, "What is the real death toll in Iraq?" The Guardian, 2008, Accessed November 18, 2014 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/19/iraq Read More