Iraq War Pres

7/28/2019 Iraq War Pres

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Audience

The audience that this presentation is intended for would be a

broad one that has a general understanding of American history

in the last 20 years. They would not to be educated in the

particulars of political science, and all of the information would

make sense to just about anyone. When giving the presentation,

I would make sure to speak clearly and to illustrate more detailed

points that require an in-depth explanation.


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The Justification of the iraq warMatthew L. Botbyl


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After looking at the facts surrounding the start of the war, it is

clear that the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 was justified.


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Intelligence

2002 intelligence report

Iraq has managed to preserve and in some cases even

enhance the infrastructure and expertise necessary for WMD

production" (Bush 236).

"almost certainly working to produce the causative agent for

anthrax along with botulinum toxin, aflatoxin, and

ricin. Unmanned aerial vehicles give Baghdad a more lethal

means to deliver biologicalweapons. Experience shows thatSaddam produces weapons of mass destruction to use, not just

to deter" (Bush 236).


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Intelligence Cont.

2004 Hillary Clinton

The lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq contradicts

years of intelligence indicating Saddam had such weapons,

which also was the conclusion of officials in the Clinton

administration. The consensus was the same, from theClinton administration to the Bush administration, she

(Clinton) said. It was the same intelligence belief that our

allies and friends around the world shared. (Hillary Clinton: No

regret on Iraq vote).


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Terrorist Havens

For my first eight months in office, my policy focused on the

sanctionsThen 9/11 hit, and we had to take a fresh look at

every threat in the world. There were state sponsors of

terrorsworn enemies of Americanations that violatedinternational demandsregimes that pursued WMD. Iraq

combined all those threats (Bush 228).

1985 Abu Abbas

Hijacking of the Achille Lauro

One American killed


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Terrorist havens cont.

Abu Musab al-zarqawi

Senior al Qaeda terrorist

Intelligence Report

"Suspect facility in this area may be producing poisons and

toxins for terrorist use. Al-Zarqawi is an active terrorist planner

who has targeted U.S. and Israeli interests: Sensitive reportingfrom a [classified] service indicates that al-Zarqawi has been

directing efforts to smuggle an unspecified chemical material

originating in northern Iraq into the United States" (Bush 236).


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Legal Obligation

1991 U.N. Resolution 687

Iraq shall unconditionally accept the destruction, removal, orrendering harmless, under international supervision of: all

chemical and biological weapons of all stocks of agentsall

ballistic missiles with a range of greater than 150

kilometersIraq shall submita declaration of the locations,

amounts and types of all items specified (Resolution 687).

Wording is unmistakable: Iraq must disarm


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legal obligation cont.

Iraq fails to disarm

President Clintons warning

The hard fact is that so long as Saddam (Hussein) remains in power, he

threatens the well-being of his people, the peace of this region, the security

of the world. The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new

Iraqi governmenta government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a

government that respects the rights of its peopleHeavy as they are, the

costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam

defies the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in

the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors. He will make war on

his own people. And mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass

destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them (President

Clintons Address).


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legal obligation Cont.

1998 Iraq Liberation act

It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to

remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in

Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government

to replace that regime (Iraq Liberation Act).

Had no effect on Saddams administration


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Legal Obligation Cont.

2002 U.N. Resolution 1441

Decides, while acknowledging paragraph 1 above, to afford

Iraq, by this resolution, a final opportunity to comply with its

disarmament obligations under relevant resolutions of the

Council; and accordingly decides to set up an enhanced

inspection regime with the aim of bringing to full and verified

completion the disarmament process established by resolution

687 (1991) and subsequent resolutions of the Council

(Resolution 1441).

Saddam is given 30 days to deliver a detailed report of his

arsenal


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Legal Obligation Cont.

U.N. Inspector Hans Blix

Calls the report, rich in volume but poor in information.

Congressman Joe Lieberman says it was a, twelve-thousand-

page, one-hundred-pound lie (bush 242).

U.S. & other nations call for military intervention

France and Germany oppose


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Conclusion

Iraq War remains one of the most controversial military operations in U.s.

History

Admittedly, there were mistakes, which bush takes responsibility for

May Sunnis took [this] as a signal that they would have no place in Iraqs

future. This was especially dangerous in the case of the army. Thousands

of armed men had just been told they were not wanted. Instead of signing

up for the new military, many joined the insurgency. In retrospect, I should

have insisted on more debate on [these] orders, especially on what

message disbanding the army would send and how many Sunnis [this]would affect (Bush 259).


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conclusion cont.

Still does not negate justification for invasion

2003 War resolution passed by a wider margin than that of the first Gulf War

Tom Daschle, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Kerry, John Edwards, and HarryReid

Claims that the vote was for diplomacy and not for war

They must not have read the resolution. Its language was unmistakable: The

President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he

determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to defend the national

security of the United Sates against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and

enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq

(Bush 241).


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Conclusion cont.

Rush to war

It had been more than a decade since the Gulf War resolutions

that demanded that Saddam disarm, over four years since he

had kicked out the weapons inspectors, six months since I had

issued my ultimatum at the UN, four months since Resolution

1441 had given Saddam his final opportunity, and three months

past the deadline to fully disclose his WMD. Diplomacy did not

feel rushed. It felt like it was taking forever (Bush 247).

Diplomacy had taken its course


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Conclusion Cont.

The combination of these details leads to only one conclusion:

the invasion of Iraq by the United States in 2003 was

unequivocally justified

Iraq War Pres

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