International Politics Proposal...

Term Paper Abstract
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Introduction

On the morning of September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked and crashed in the name of terror. They resulted in the deaths of over 3000 people that were residents of 115 countries. A few hours later, the president addressed the nation and committed the United States to the war on terror, which involved military action in Afghanistan and Iraq. Three and a half years later, there are over 1,700 American troops dead and 11,000 wounded. In addition, over 30,000 Iraqi military and an estimated 20-100,000 civilians have been killed. The war was unofficially declared over on May of 2003, struggle for democracy in Iraq continues.

The war in Iraq provides serious challenges for political theorists as well as students of international politics who attempt to apply traditional notions of Just War theory to the changing reality of modern warfare. In particular, the premptive nature of the United States' attack in Iraq calls into question many of these notions.

Hypothesis

There are two issues of primary concern that will be examined. First is whether or not the preemptive nature of the beginning of the Iraq War violates the tenets of Just War theory. Secondly, there is the considerations of what this War will have on the international relations of the United States, and of Iraq. Such a conflict cannot help but have massive repercussions on world affairs.

It is my belief that the issue of preemption is more complicated than it seems at first glance. There was not a direct attack made on the United States in the traditional sense, but the ways in which wars are waged on countries are changing. Particularly in the age of the United States as the only superpower, attacks are much more likely to take the form of a dagger in the back rather that an upfront engagement. In hindsight however, things are always clearer, and it seems that Iraq did not pose a clear and present danger as the Bush Administration proposed.

As far as the results of this conflict are concerned, it is difficult to say. The future is promised to no one, and what is true today might not end up that way. Public support of the War and the United States continued presence in Iraq here and overseas is generally poor. Many people wonder if the invasion and democratization of Iraq by the United States is merely a staging point for similar such actions in the future. Countries such as Syria and Iran are also threatened by the idea of a democratic and secularized Iraq.

Approach and Methodology

There is no shortage of references on this subject. The evidence has been in every newspaper and television newscast for almost the last five years. Academics have done their part as well in this regard. In particular, the examination of the justifications of the decision to go to war has been quite intense. As for the political theory of Just War, there are sources old and new. From St. Thomas Aquinas to Michael Walzer, both classical and contemporary thinkers are consulted.

For the organization of the term paper, there will first be an examination of the tenets of Just War theory, followed by a discussion of how the Iraq War situation relates to notions of Just War. To conclude the first part of the paper, there will be a short proposal on how Just War theory might be re-examined in the face of changing modern conflicts.

The second section will take a look at International relations perspective of the War. The first part of this section will be the effects of the war on the United States, both here and abroad. The second section will be the effects on Iraq and the Middle East as a whole.