Gulf Wars Final

Directions: Select one of the following questions and prepare an essay question of no more than six and no less than five, double-spaced pages. Your paper should be in MSWord and can be emailed to me no later than 13 December 2007.

  1. Many analysts have compared Iraq to Vietnam. Are there any comparisons that fit the two conflicts? Is that analogy valid?
  2. The Neocons were the chief architects of the current conflict in the Persian Gulf . Who were they? What were their objectives in the Middle East?
  3.  Many have pointed to faulty intelligence as the reasons for our current debacle in Iraq. What happened? How did it occur? Did policymakers misuse intelligence during the run up to the war? Explain.
  4. Looking back at the situation following the start of the war it is possible to see serious problems that the Pentagon grossly overlooked or underestimated. What were the shortcomings that compounded the occupation of Iraq for the American forces?
  5. Many Americans do not understand the importance of the Valerie Plame affair in the coming of the Second Iraq War. What was it all about? Why did some in the Bush administration release her name? What did this element in the war’s narrative say about the relationship between the administration and the media?
  6. During the course of the war and the insurgency the Bush administration made appoint of appearing with military personnel at any available opportunity. What was it like for American GIs in Iraq? How would you evaluate the personal narratives of American service men like Nathaniel Fick?
  7. George Parker and Rajiv Chandrasekaran create a disturbing image of the Coalition Provisional Authority. What went wrong? How did politics and business interests impede the development of a coherent plan to establish civilian control in Iraq?
  8. Looking at the Second Iraq War it is possible to say that there were many who are at fault for what had transpired. How did religion, politics, greed, and lack of political courage contribute to the current situation in Iraq and the Middle East?