Iraq%20War

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Iraq War
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Iraq basics

• One of the largest Arab nations in Middle East
• 2nd largest proven oil reserves in world
• Ethnic Kurds in North--15
• Sunni Arabs, in middle--30
• Shiite Arab, in South--50

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Colonial History

• After defeat of Ottoman Empire, British Mandate
  1918-1930
• 1920, and on--The Great Iraqi Revolution

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Background US in the Region

• 1979--Iranian Revolution and hostages
• Recently emerged Baath Party dictator, Saddam
  Hussein begins war with Iran
• Reagan administration supports Saddam

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Gulf War I 1991

• 1990 Saddam invades Kuwait
• US and coalition troops, with UN sanction, attack
• Saddam fires scud missiles on Israel
• Saddam forced to retreat

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George H. Bushs decision

• expel but not overthrow Saddam
• under UN sanction
• establish no-fly zones
• econ sanctions
• weapons inspections under UN (1991-98, 2002-2003)

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Invasion force

• 83 US
• 15 UK
• 2 Coalition of the Willing

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Shifting justifications

• links to terror and Al-Qaeda
• supposed meeting in Prague
• WMD
• Dubious tubes and uranium purchases
• Liberating Iraq