U.S. invasion of Iraq

What is it about?

This article provides an explanation for the George W. Bush Administration’s decision to use military force in Iraq. It first considers the neoconservative foreign policy advocacy coalition, finding that as the advocacy coalition framework (ACF) suggests, neoconservatives functioned like other coalitions but with some interesting qualifications. The study then considers Bush’s role in the decision-making process, establishing that his motivations combined with key components of his character, determined policy. The events of 9/11 aroused in the president a desire to cast himself in the mold of an American hero, one that would remake the Middle East and bring it into the fold of democratic states. It is the convergence of neoconservative belief and Bush’s motivations that explain the decision. This article thus advances the discussion regarding the importance of individual characteristics in decision making and the possibility of joining two methods of inquiry that are often handled independently.

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Photo by History in HD on Unsplash

Photo by History in HD on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Understanding why the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003.