The Iraqi Predicament People in the Quagmire of Power Politics

by Ismael, Tareq Y.; Ismael, Jacqueline S.

• ISBN13: 9780745321509
• ISBN10: 074532150X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-03-20
• Publisher: Pluto Press

Summary

On February 15, 2003, over 6 million people around the world marched in protest against a threatened war on Iraq. In the light of these remarkable events, and the conflict that followed, it is now more important than ever to properly assess Iraq's role in world politics.This book provides a history of Iraq, an assessment of its position in the broader political landscape, and a moving account of the day-to-day reality experienced by the Iraqi people. The authors look at Iraq's -- and Saddam Hussein's -- relations and influence in the region of the greater Middle East. They examine the role of the UN, sanctions and warfare, explaining the impact this has had on Iraq's civil population and related humanitarian questions. They assess American policy towards Iraq and how this has changed since September 11, setting it within the broader context of America's involvement in the Middle East. Finally, they look at social policy within Iraq, explaining how the internal welfare system has collapsed since the Gulf War, and examining the continuing effects of depleted uranium.

Author Biography

Jacqueline S. Ismael is a professor of Social Work at the University of Calgary & adjunct Professor of International Relations at the Eastern Mediterranean University. Her latest works include Civil Society & The Oppressive State in the Arab World (2001) andThe Communist Movement in Syria & Lebanon (1997). Tareq Y. Ismael is a professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary, Canada & President of the International Centre for Contemporary Middle East Studies at eastern Mediterranean University. His most recent works include Middle East Politics Today (2001), Turkey's Foreign Policy in the 21st Century (2003), & Iraq: The Human Cost of History (2003).

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
1 Introduction: The International Setting	1	(8)
2 The Iraq Question in Arab Politics	9	(30)
Arab Popular Opinion	11	(6)
Arab Regional Politics	17	(4)
Arab Regional Politics and the Iraq Question	21	(18)
3 The US, September 11 and the Invasion of Iraq	39	(51)
The Development of American Policy Towards the Middle East	42	(11)
Understanding Dollar Hegemony	53	(3)
Background to the Presidency of George W. Bush and September 11	56	(1)
The Aftermath of September 11	57	(3)
The Prism of Media Power Discourse	60	(8)
Prelude to Invasion	68	(7)
Invasion and the Aftermath	75	(12)
Conclusion	87	(3)
4 UN Sanctions: Tools of Domination and Oppression	90	(36)
Tools of Coercion	91	(4)
Tools of Domination and Oppression	95	(1)
Weapons Inspection	95	(6)
Humanitarian Aid	101	(7)
Aid without Inspections	108	(18)
5 Social Deconstruction: Social Development under Siege (co-authored with Shereen T. Ismael)	126	(41)
Social Development before the 1990-91 Gulf War	126	(4)
Social De-development after the 1990-91 Gulf War	130	(6)
Assessments of the Humanitarian Impact of Sanctions on Iraq	136	(15)
Depleted Uranium in Iraq	151	(2)
People in the Quagmire: '...a minor point in the history of...war'	153	(2)
The Invasion Attacks on Infrastructures	155	(2)
Targeting Ambulances and Medical Infrastructure	157	(1)
The Plight of Hospitals under US Occupation	158	(3)
Gallantry of Selfless Iraqi Health Workers	161	(3)
The Tragedy of Iraqis Continues	164	(1)
Conclusion	165	(2)
6 Russia and the Question of Iraq	167	(43)
Soviet Background	168	(6)
Post-Soviet Russia and Iraq	174	(36)
Notes	210	(39)
Bibliography	249	(11)
Index	260