Operation Iraqi Freedom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Operation Iraqi Freedom - Research Paper Example The history of America's wars can aptly start from the defense of the New York city carried out by George Washington against the British colonizing army (Weigley, 1977, p.4). That defense transformed itself into a protracted war which finally gave America its independence (Weigley, 1977, p.15-17). From this war, up to 2002, America has been found to have â€Å"employed military force more than 220 times in its history, yet has declared war only five times† (qtd. In Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.4). It is not only these officially declared wars of America that come under the purview of this paper but the undeclared wars as well, in an attempt to place America's war in Iraq in the correct historical and political perspectives. That is to say that war is being discussed here is in its all formal and informal forms, not limited by technical definitions. And it is concluded that Operation Iraqi freedom is nothing but a continuation of America's war agenda at large, supported by econom ic interests more than anything else. After independence, the major war waged by America was the Spanish-American war (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.5). Then came the first and second world wars and indeed the cold war (though not fitting into the conventional definitions of war) against the communist block that succeeded them, and which â€Å"lasted fifty years† (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.5). ... ielding a higher moral ground than other nations (which is similar to the age-old notion of white man's superiority), that has eventually led to America being sarcastically called as the 'world police' by its critics (Khatib, 2006, p.180). The Korean and Vietnam wars, which were part of the wider canvas of the cold war, showed the world how much obsessively compulsive was America's urge to wipe out communism (Donaldson, 1996, p.3). And the Vietnam war ended up for the US as a total coup ditat of sorts (Donaldson, 1996, p.70). Even the Americans despised the Vietnam war and the US government had to withdraw from the war scene disgraced and defeated both on the war front and at home (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.6). The US military intervention in Lebanon, Grenada and Panama city did not invite much global attention, but â€Å"the Persian Gulf war of 1990-91† turned out into a macabre television spectacle for the world (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.6). This was the moment when the w orld started discussing America's real intentions in its wars, and even the national leadership came very close to admitting that what was really at stake for the US was the cheap and incessant supply of oil (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.6). It was also observed that the United States went to war in Korea and Vietnam, among many other reasons, â€Å"to show the third world that the United States was the one nation willing and able to stand up to communism anywhere in the world† (Donaldson, 1996, p.70). And since the second world war, it was becoming clear that America wanted to be â€Å"the leader of the world† (Donaldson, 1996, p.192). In the Persian Gulf war of 1990, this became more evident. An added element of interest for America regarding the Gulf region was its need to oppose any â€Å"dangerous