Iraq War

by Carlisle, Rodney P.; Bowman, John Stewart

• ISBN13: 9780816056279
• ISBN10: 0816056277
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-11-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

Citing the risk of weapons of mass destruction, in March 2003, U.S. and British forces (together with nominal support from several other countries in a coalition) began a military campaign against Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Although the official stage of combat operations ended within three weeks, numerous ethnic and religious factions began fighting afterward, both against the coalition forces and each other, for control of Iraq's government. Iraq War, Updated Edition covers all the background material necessary to understand the circumstances surrounding the invasion of Iraq. This newly updated edition also includes the latest developments surrounding the Iraq War, such as the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and in-depth analysis of media coverage of the war, as well as questions concerning whether the United States should maintain military operations in Iraq.

Author Biography

Rodney P. Carlisle is a former chair of the history department at Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey

Table of Contents

PREFACE	xi
1 SHOCK AND AWE	1	(10)
A War Fought in Two Time Zones	3	(3)
TIME ZONES OF THE WORLD	4	(2)
The Origins of Shock and Awe	6	(5)
2 THE MIDDLE EAST SITUATION	11	(11)
OTTOMAN EMPIRE DIVIDED, CA. 1920	12	(4)
Independence of Former Ottoman Empire States	16	(6)
3 SADDAM HUSSEIN, THE BAATH PARTY, AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION	22	(10)
IRAQ AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, 2003	23	(1)
Baath Party	24	(5)
Oil Revenue	29	(3)
ETHNIC-RELIGIOUS REGIONS OF IRAQ, 2003	30	(2)
4 THE PERSIAN GULF WAR OF 1991	32	(9)
PERSIAN GULF WAR IN KUWAIT, 1991	35	(2)
Collateral Damage	37	(1)
Hail Mary Maneuver	38	(3)
5 SEPTEMBER 11, AFGHANISTAN, AND IRAQ	41	(12)
AFGHANISTAN UNDER THE TALIBAN, 2001	45	(4)
U.S. NAVAL BASE AT GUANTÁNAMO BAY, CUBA	49	(1)
U.S. Base at Guantánamo Bay	50	(3)
6 WEAPONS INSPECTIONS	53	(9)
UN Resolutions Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, 1991-1998	57	(5)
SUSPECTED WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN GREATER BAGHDAD, JANUARY 2003	60	(2)
7 UN DEBATES AND RELUCTANT FRIENDS	62	(11)
Jus ad bellum: The Justification for War	64	(2)
Just War or Not?	66	(3)
Preemptive War-A New American Doctrine?	69	(4)
8 AMERICANS AT WAR: WEEK 1	73	(12)
COALITION ACTIONS AND ADVANCES, MARCH 19-25, 2003	76	(1)
Market Explosions	77	(5)
Irregular Fighters	82	(3)
9 THE HOME FRONT	85	(11)
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld	86	(4)
Deck of Cards	90	(6)
10 THE TIDES OF WAR: WEEK 2	96	(16)
COALITION ACTIONS AND ADVANCES, MARCH 26-APRIL 2, 2003	102	(2)
Republican Guard	104	(3)
Hunt for Weapons of Mass Destruction	107	(5)
11 BATTLING PAST BAGHDAD	112	(14)
U.S. FORCES MOVE ON AND CAPTURE BAGHDAD'S MAIN AIRPORT, APRIL 2-6, 2003	114	(4)
Al-Jazeera	118	(1)
Sunni Triangle	119	(9)
SUNNI TRIANGLE	120	(6)
12 RESTORING ORDER	126	(13)
Deck of Cards	128	(3)
Shiite Resurgence	131	(3)
DISPOSITION OF COALITION FORCES, LATE APRIL 2003	133	(1)
Syria and Iran: Uneasy Neighbors	134	(5)
13 AFTERMATH	139	(16)
Closure of al-Arabiya	141	(14)
OCCUPATION ZONES INITIALLY ASSIGNED TO COALITION FORCES, MAY 2003	142	(13)
GLOSSARY	155	(7)
FURTHER READING	162	(5)
INDEX	167

Excerpts

In a dramatic three-week campaign beginning March 20, 2003, U.S. and British forces (with several other countries in a coalition) destroyed the Iraqi army, defeating Saddam Hussein's regime. Over the next few months, former regime members, along with some armed anti-American forces from outside Iraq, started a long and bitter armed resistance. Although the war itself had been conducted with fewer than 120 Americans killed in action, deaths following May 1 among occupying U.S. troops exceeded that number by fall 2003.
Iraq War covers all the background material necessary to understand the circumstances surrounding this particular military undertaking. It explains how coalition forces destroyed the Iraqi army and defeated the regime of Saddam Hussein. The compelling narrative describes such later events as the capture of Saddam Hussein by U.S. forces while also addressing the aftermath of the military campaign and the continuing unrest in the country. An important and timely resource for middle and high school readers, Iraq War explores the history of the region as well as the recent events leading up to and culminating in this war.