Formulating the Iraq Invasion

Résumé du livre

Abstract Formulating the Iraq Invasion by Katy Marie Sullivan Doctor of Philosophy in Ad Hoc Interdisciplinary Studies University of California, Berkeley Professor Charles Hirschkind, Chair Years ago when I began this topic of Formulating the Iraq Invasion, the starting point seemed to begin with what many perceive to be the illegal declaration of the war itself. In this paper, I develop my analysis of how the declaration of war has been redefined since the time of the Founding Fathers, and what are the implications of this changed discourse for conflicts such as Iraq, Korea, Vietnam and Libya. Specifically, for Iraq, I analyzed what is a just tribunal, and how the laws have been redrafted to accommodate foreign companies. I looked at how the rhetoric of democracy is being used as part of the legal apparatus that can best be described by the title of a book published by my advisors Laura Nader and Ugo Mattei: "Plunder." Within the discussion is the history of Iraq's oil, the political upheavals and U.S. involvement, the oil contracts formed during this period of war and unrest, and the social and economic consequences that have followed. Finally, I wanted to close with what, if any, remedies are available to Iraqi citizens in American federal and international courts for injuries suffered as a result of the American occupation. I try to understand the consequences for redefining law and whether it makes for a "just war." Most states use interpretations of language and law to justify their actions with the country they are engaged in, but if the powerful nations are the ones in charge of redefining terms, a closer look is warranted.