The Iraq War and Democratic Politics

Invading Iraq in 2003 has proved the most deeply divisive political decision of recent times. Despite considerable domestic opposition, the strong reservations of some close allies and the United Nations, and the anger of much of the non-Western world, the US and Britain still controversially decided that they should commit their forces to toppling Saddam Hussein. The Iraq War and Democratic Politics contains the work of leading scholars concerned with the political implications of the Iraq War and its relationship to and significance for democracy. The book shuns simplistic analysis and provides a nuanced and critical overview of this key moment in global politics. Subjects covered include: The underlying moral and political issues raised by the War US foreign policy and the Middle East The fundamental dilemmas and contradictions of democratic intervention How the war was perceived in the UK, EU & US The immense challenges of creating democracy inside Iraq The influential role of NGOs such as the Iraq Body Count website The legitimacy of the war within international law The relationship between democratic government and intelligence. Drawing on specialists in the fields of political theory, international relations, international law and the politics of Iraq, this book is essential reading for all those concerned with the future of democracy.