Political Consequences of the War and Occupation of Iraq
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Back to: Main Iraq Index | Consequences of the War and Occupation of Iraq2005
GI's and Syrians in Tense Clashes on Iraqi Border (October 15, 2005)
The war in Iraq may spread to Syria, as US forces have mobilized along the Syrian border in an attempt to block foreign insurgents from entering Iraq. Though Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has denied that insurgent sanctuaries exist in Syria, the Bush administration has labeled Syria an "ally of convenience with Islamic extremists." Many intelligence experts question the level of foreign fighters said to be entering Iraq. (New York Times)
Radioactive Wounds of War (August 25, 2005)
Some US soldiers returning from Iraq have tested positive for contamination from Depleted Uranium (DU). In 2003, the Pentagon prevented the United Nations from testing Iraq for DU levels. In addition, the US government shirks its responsibility to test soldiers for DU contamination. While the Pentagon claims that DU poses no health threat, experts agree that it is toxic and can lead to cancer in those who have been exposed to it. (In These Times)
The Iraq War Is Over, and the Winner Is... Iran (July 21, 2005)
Professor Juan Cole points out that ironically, Iran may have benefited from the Iraq War more than any other state, including the US. His analysis comes in the wake of Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's trip to Iran in July. In the meetings, the leaders of Iraq and Iran discussed oil pipelines, trade and financial aid, and they talked about possible military cooperation along their common borders. Warming relations between the two countries could enhance Iran's geopolitical standing, a prospect which worries the US and Iraqi Sunnis, says Cole. (Salon)
Iraq May Be Prime Place for Training of Militants, CIA Report Concludes (June 22, 2005)
According to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the US may have created in Iraq "an even more effective training ground for Islamic extremists than Afghanistan was in Al Qaeda's early days." Intelligence officials say the CIA's assessment "made it clear that the war was likely to produce a dangerous legacy by dispersing to other countries Iraqi and foreign combatants more adept and better organized than they were before the conflict." (New York Times)
Militiamen Push Their Version of Islam in the Absence of the Rule of Law (March 28, 2005)
Radical Shiite militiamen in the south of Iraq attack and intimidate those who violate "Islamic norms" in dress and behavior with increasing frequency. Southern Iraq has attracted less attention than other parts of the country -- in late 2003, only 20 of 2,000 CPA employees worked in the area around Al-Basrah in the south -- and this neglect has given radical factions considerable freedom to implement their own religious laws. (Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty)
Extremists Using Iraq for Recruitment and Training, CIA Chief Says (February 16, 2005)
Iraq has become a training ground for extremists who "will leave Iraq experienced in and focused on acts of urban terrorism," according to CIA Director Porter Goss. Together with FBI Director Robert Mueller, Goss suggested that Iraq may pose a greater terrorist threat now than before the US-led invasion. (Knight Ridder)
2004
Can America Win in Iraq? (September 17, 2004)
Whereas US strategists want to gain military and political control over Iraq and Arab oil, the war in Iraq also serves the interests of Israel and its neo-conservative friends in the Pentagon and other US government agencies. By weakening Iraq, Israel has achieved its goal. However, the US will not achieve its aims of a stable state, "a strongpoint of American influence." (Dar Al-Hayat)
Iraq War Analysis Paints Grim Picture (June 24, 2004)
A report co-written by the Institute for Policy Studies and Foreign Policy in Focus examines the economic and social costs of the Iraq War. The report estimates that by the end of 2004 the war will cost the average US household $3,415. For the same price, the US "could have cut world hunger in half and covered HIV/AIDS medicine, childhood immunization, and clean water and sanitation needs in all developing countries for more than two years." (Inter Press Service)
The Psychology of War: Iraq and Vietnam (April 7, 2004)
Is Iraq the second-coming of Vietnam? Foreign Policy in Focusargues that one key aspect sets this war apart from Vietnam: The US-led coalition is battling a "psychology of a deeply held nationalism that rebels against foreign military forces," a factor absent in prior conflicts.
Missing in Action in Iraq (February 18, 2004)
The death of over 500 US soldiers in Iraq since the invasion began in March 2003 sparked outcry by war opposition groups and has become a contentious issue in the US presidential election campaign. However, at least 10,000 Iraqi civilians have also been killed since the outbreak of war. Why is the US not concerned about Iraqi deaths? (Globe and Mail)
"It's Just Wrong What We're Doing" (January 24, 2004)
According to former US Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara, the US war with Iraq has many similarities to the Vietnam War, despite the different context of the two conflicts. McNamara includes a list of eleven specific errors made in Vietnam still relevant today in Iraq. (Globe and Mail)
2003
Iraq Conflict May Have Driven Muslims into Arms of al-Qa'ida' (August 1, 2003)
A UK parliament report raises questions about an important part of Prime Minister Tony Blair's justification for war. Members of Parliament stated that the invasion of Iraq might have "enhanced the appeal of al-Qa'ida to Muslims living in the Gulf region and elsewhere." (Agence France Presse)
A Formidable Muslim Bloc Emerges (May 27, 2003)
According to the Los Angeles Times, one major unintended consequence from the war on Iraq has been the creation of a formidable Shiite Muslim geographical bloc that will dominate politics in the Middle East for many years. (Los Angeles)
Goodbye Saudi, Hello Qatar (May 1-7, 2003)
As the occupation of Iraq continues, Qatar's importance in US strategic planning for the region is increasing. For example, the nerve center of US air operations will be moved from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, as part of plans to end US military operations in Saudi Arabia. (Al-Ahram Weekly)
The Age of Unilateral War: Iraq, the United States and the End of the European Coalition (April 30, 2003)
Historian Gabriel Kolko suggests that the demise of NATO will prove to be one of the major outcomes of the war fought by the US-led coaltion against Iraq. (CounterPunch)
Hizballah in the Firing Line (April 28, 2003)
According to this report from Beirut-based journalist Nicholas Blanford, the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the recent US pressure applied to Syria have placed Lebanon's Hizballah organization in the firing line in the next phase of President Bush's "war on terrorism." (Middle East Report Online)
US Hegemony: The Dynamics of Global Power (April 24, 2003)
The failure of the US to reach global consensus for a war on Iraq can result in difficulties for the superpower to secure control around the world. Its unilateral action also demonstrated the UN's incapability to enforce resolutions that bind powerful states to international law. (Yellow Times)
Defiant, Paris Rejects Warning By Powell (April 24, 2003)
Officials in Washington met to find ways to punish France for its opposition to war. But the French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin stated that his country will not bow to US pressure and threats. (International Herald Tribune)
Powell: France Will Be Punished For Anti-War Stance (April 23, 2003)
Secretary of State Colin Powell said that France will suffer consequences for opposing the US war with Iraq. (Middle East Online)
Kurds Redrawing Map By Memory, With Force (April 17, 2003)
"The new map of Iraqi Kurdistan is being drawn with politics, blood and ethnic conflict" within the power vacuum of post-Saddam Iraq, as Iraqi Kurds retain control over disputed territory in the northwest. The release from years of oppression by the Iraqi regime is exploding into nationalistic violence against Arabs in the region. (Washington Post)
Rule by Allies May Pass 6 Months, Wolfowitz Asserts (April 7, 2003)
US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz states that it will take the US more than six months to establish an Iraqi government to run the country after President Saddam Hussein's regime has been defeated. (New York Times)
US Begins the Process of Regime Change (April 6, 2003)
Part of an interim government can be installed even as fighting still rages in Baghdad. The government will be part of Pentagon's plan, rebuffing Europeans calls for a greater UN role. (Observer)
Powell and Europeans See UN Role in Postwar Iraq (April 4, 2003)
European leaders want the UN to play an organizing role as quickly as possible in Iraq, but Washington wants its role to be limited to humanitarian assistance. (New York Times)
Who Rules the Peace (April 3, 2003)
According to Phyllis Bennis, the Geneva Convention states that the occupying powers are obligated to provide for the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi population. The war itself is illegal and any post-war occupation by the US or UK would be illegal too. (ZNet)
War by Example (April 3-9, 2003)
Roger Owen, a professor of history at Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies, argues that the new US defense doctrine, based on the notion of preventive response, means that the current US war against Iraq is also meant to provide a test case for future instances in which the US will attempt "to impose its world view." (Al-Ahram Weekly)
Beyond the Veto (April 3-9, 2003)
This article from the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram Weeklyexamines the options open to the UN to delegitimize the US invasion of Iraq.
White House Divided Over Reconstruction (April 2, 2003)
The US administration is divided on who should lead Iraq's transitional government after the war. The Pentagon favors Ahmed Chalabi, an Iraqi exile sympathetic to US policy, while the State Department wishes the UN to administer post-war Iraq. The UN will be vital in mending transatlantic rifts and securing important financial contributions, they argue. (LA Times)
Iraq Is a Trial Run (April 2, 2003)
The eminent scholar Noam Chomsky, in an interview with the Indian newspaper Frontline, discusses the US attack on Iraq and what it bodes for the future of US foreign policy.
US Draws Up Secret Plan to Impose Regime on Iraq (April 1, 2003)
The plan for a new government in Iraq will consist of 23 ministers headed by the US. Iraqi exiles, who have little support from their people, will fill key advisory positions. (Guardian)
Resources of Hope (March 27-April 2, 2003)
At a roundtable organized by the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram Weekly, Edward Said and a number of political analysts debated ways to respond to what they saw as "the two major catastrophes currently facing the Arab world, the US-led war against Iraq and the Israeli war against the Palestinians.
Fears Grow that US Has Shelved Middle East Peace Plan (March 21, 2003)
Fears are growing that the Bush administration has put the peace process between Israel and Palestine on hold. The "roadmap" to peace which President Bush promised to release in his speech last week has still not been published, despite the appointment of Mahmoud Abbas as the new Palestinian premier. (Independent)
Caught Between "Arab Nero" and Hated US (March 21, 2003)
The government of Saudi Arabia, which responded to the overwhelming anti-war sentiment of its citizens by trying to prevent a US-led war on Iraq, has now resigned itself to trying to limit the potentially disastrous consequences of the war for Iraq and for the region. (Guardian)
Irrelevance Lost (March 20, 2003)
Marc Lynch argues that rather than demonstrating its supposed "irrelevance," the UN Security Council's resistance to US arm-twisting has dramatically increased its image in the eyes of most of the world. (Middle East Report Online)
As War Approaches Palestinian Fears Rise (March 20, 2003)
Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories fear the ramifications of a US-led war against Iraq. Possible scenarios range from the imposition of more stringent closures and curfews by the Israeli Defense Forces to the mass expulsion of Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)
Misleading Roads (March 20, 2003)
According to Azmi Bishara, President Bush's sudden rediscovery of his commitment to the so-called "roadmap" for resolving the Palestinian issue may be shortlived, since it is mostly a response to the "whispered pleas" of European leaders on the eve of the US war on Iraq. (Al-Ahram Weekly)
Rachel Corrie's Echo (March 20, 2003)
The parents of Rachel Corrie, the 23-year-old American college student who was killed by the Israeli Army in Gaza, was joined by three Democratic congressmen in warning against the effects of the US war against Iraq on Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. (The Nation)
This Is a Road Map to Nowhere (March 19, 2003)
Ahmad Samih Khalidi, an Oxford professor and former Palestinian negotiator, argues that the current "road map" for peace being advocated by George W. Bush and Tony Blair is only a transparent effort to gain support for a war against Iraq. (Guardian)
Question and Answer: Is Bush Serious About Mideast Peace? (March 17, 2003)
Henry Siegman, director of the Council on Foreign Relations' US/Middle East Project, suggests that President Bush's apparent endorsement of the so-called "road map" to peace between Palestinians and Israelis raises questions about whether the US is seriously committed to the peace process. (Council on Foreign Relations)
Behind the Palestinian Optimism (March 17, 2003)
Senior Palestinian officials have admitted that they have no choice but to express optimism about the "road map" for peace that was recently advocated by President Bush. But many Palestinians believe that the plan is really part of Bush's attempts to placate leaders in Europe and the Middle East on the eve of a war against Iraq. (Ha'aretz)
Bush to Publish Road Map to Peace (March 15, 2003)
President Bush reluctantly put his Middle East peace plan back on the agenda by promising to release his "road map" to a Palestinian state. However, the new peace plan has been linked to continuing efforts to pressure the Palestinian leadership to appoint a prime minister. (Guardian)
President Bush's February 26 Speech on the Future of Iraq: A Critique (March 8, 2003)
Stephen Zunes analyzes President Bush's speech outlining his vision of the Middle East in the aftermath of a possible US invasion of Iraq and criticizes the President's failure to engage seriously with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Foreign Policy in Focus)
America's Power Will Bring its Own Counter-Revolution (March 7, 2003)
Adrian Hamilton analyzes the effects of the US push towards war against Iraq on international organization such as the UN, NATO, the European Union, and the Arab League. He argues that by pitting itself against the rest of the world, the US will eventually have to face the consequences of its actions. (Independent)
Neglect of the Palestinian Plight Is Risky and Wrong (March 7, 2003)
Martin Woollacott argues that the Bush administration's current attempt to ignore the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict could give way to a "project to permanently suppress the Palestinian people" if the US can implement its plans for a new world order in the Middle East. (Guardian)
The Other War for Iraq (March 6-12, 2003)
Graham Usher argues that for Israel and the Palestinians, "the war in Iraq has already begun," as has been revealed by the recent violent events in Gaza. (Al-Ahram Weekly)
Misleading or Misled? (March 5, 2003)
By claiming that the downfall of Saddam Hussein could somehow be the start of "a new stage for Middle East peace," President Bush showed himself to be either deliberately duplicitous or very badly informed about the Palestinian question, according to Simon Tisdall. (Guardian)
Nightmare Scenarios for All (March 3, 2003)
Kurds in northern Iraq are worried about another betrayal at the hands of the US, while many Turks fear an influx of Kurdish refugees after a US-led attack on Iraq. The US may well find itself caught in a conflict between the two sides. (Ha'aretz)
If You Will It, It Is a Dream (March 3, 2003)
Akiva Eldar, a columnist for the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, writes that President Bush's recent address on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which endorsed the policies of Ariel Sharon and linked the peace process to a possible US-led war against Iraq, has threatened to put an end to the vision of establishing an independent Palestinian state.
Poles Apart (March 2003)
Le Monde Diplomatiquelooks at the widening gulf between the US and Europe created by the impending US war against Iraq. The article examines the underlying motives behind this war, including the Bush administration's declared goal of world supremacy.
Bush Says Ousting Hussein Could Aid Peace in Mideast (February 27, 2003)
In his first significant remarks about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in eight months, President Bush focused largely on Iraq, claiming that removing Saddam Hussein could set the stage for peace between Israel and what he called a "viable" Palestinian state. (New York Times)
Israel Says War on Iraq Would Benefit the Region (February 27, 2003)
Israel's Defense Minister has declared that after a war on Iraq, the US should turn its attention to Iran. "We have great interest in shaping the Middle East the day after" a war, he declared. (New York Times)
President George W. Bush's Speech on Iraq and the Middle East "Peace Process" (February 26, 2003)
The full text of President Bush's speech to the American Enterprise Institute. In his first significant remarks about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in eight months, President Bush focused largely on Iraq, claiming that removing Saddam Hussein could set the stage for peace between Israel and what he called a "viable" Palestinian state. (CBS News)
Israel's Clampdown Masks System of Control (February 14, 2003)
Adam Hanieh, a researcher and human rights worker in Ramallah, suggests that the impending war against Iraq will give Israel an opportunity to further implement a system of total control over Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, through a total "lockdown" of the population. (Middle East Report Online)
US Misreading of Bin Laden Tape May Win Iraqi War for Al Qaeda (February 13, 2003)
William O. Beeman, director of Middle Eastern Studies at Brown University, analyzes the most recent tape believed to be from Osama bin Laden. According to Beeman, the Bush administration's claim that the tape provides evidence of a link between Iraq and al Qaeda is fundamentally flawed. (Pacific News Service)
Plan Would See US Rule Postwar Iraq (February 12, 2003)
A senior US envoy told Iraqi opposition groups that the US plans to rule postwar Iraq through an American military governor. The leader of the Iraqi National Congress called the plan "unworkable." (Globe & Mail)
A History Lesson: US Intervention in the Middle East Has Always Ended Up Being a Disaster for American Interests (February 10, 2003)
Stephen Zunes refutes the claim that a US invasion would advance its interests in the Middle East. Attempts by Western powers to impose their will on others in the past have been unsuccessful in the long term. (Common Dreams)
Secret Pact to Oust Arafat Reported (February 10, 2003)
After a possible US invasion of Iraq and a regime change, the Israeli government has plans to expel the Palestine leader Yasser Arafat. (Miami Herald)
Double Standard Squared (February 10, 2003)
Akiva Eldar, a columnist for the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, argues that Ariel Sharon's government is trying to ward off questions about its own violations of non-proliferation treaties and Security Council resolutions by linking Yasser Arafat to Saddam Hussein.
Saudis Looking Past a War to US Pullout and Reform (February 9, 2003)
Saudi Arabia's leaders say they have made far-reaching decisions to prepare for an era of military disengagement from the US. Senior members of the Saudi ruling family also say they plan to enact democratic reforms. (New York Times)
US in Talks on Allowing Turkey to Occupy a Kurdish Area in Iraq (February 7, 2003)
Turkish and Kurdish officials say that American diplomats are engaged in negotiations that could allow tens of thousands of Turkish soldiers to occupy part of northern Iraq after a US invasion. (New York Times)
Australian Senate Declares No Confidence Motion in PM (February 5, 2003)
In an unprecedented move, the Australian Senate censured the federal government for deploying troops to a potential war against Iraq. The Senate also declared no confidence in Prime Minister John Howard for his handling of the situation. (Sydney Morning Herald)
For Arabs, the Problem Is America (January 31, 2003)
Abdel Monem Said argues that many people in "moderate" Arab states view the Bush Administration's approach to the political problems of the Middle East as "woefully misguided." A US attack on Iraq would only worsen this situation. (International Herald Tribune)
World Rebels Against America (January 26, 2003)
Haroon Siddiqui argues that while the US is militarily prepared to launch a war against Iraq at any time, it has already lost the political war, as the opposition from governments in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East demonstrates. (Toronto Star)
2002
Bush's Mideast Plan: Conquer and Divide (December 8, 2002)
The Toronto Sunargues that the Bush administration plans a political transformation of the Middle East similar in magnitude to the 1916 Sykes-Picot Treaty in which Britain and France carved up the Ottoman-ruled region. This article also reviews possible scenarios for the future of the Middle East.
Israel May "Transfer" Palestinians During the War on Iraq (October 9, 2002)
According to this article, the Israeli government is openly advocating a mass expulsion of Palestinians from the occupied territories. There are concerns that the Israeli government will take advantage of a world focused on a US war with Iraq. (Counter Punch)
Iraq Backgrounder: What Lies Beneath (October 1, 2002)
This International Crisis Groupreport discusses what will come next in Iraq, with or without a military confrontation. The analysis assesses the current Iraqi regime and the challenges that might emerge in the future.
Seven Fallacies of US Plans to Invade Iraq (August 2002)
A US invasion of Iraq could have serious moral, legal, political, and strategic repercussions. "In the international community," reports Foreign Policy in Focus, "serious questions are being raised regarding its legality, its justification, its political implications, and the costs of the war itself."
