U.S. Challenges in the Middle East since 1990

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U.S. Challenges in the Middle East since 1990

• Peter L. Hahn
• Ohio State University

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U.S. Challenges in the Middle East since 1990

• Persian Gulf War, 1990-1991
• Containment of Iraq, 1991-2003
• Rise of terrorism, 1980s-1990s
• Invasion of Afghanistan, 2001--
• Invasion of Iraq, 2003-2011

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Persian Gulf War, 1990-1991

• Origins
• Saddam Hussein and Iranian revolution
• Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988
• Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, August 1990

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Persian Gulf War

• Origins
• U.S. Responses
• Deterrence (re. Saudi Arabia) Operation Desert
  Shield

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Persian Gulf War

• Origins
• U.S. Responses
• Deterrence (re. Saudi Arabia) Operation Desert
  Shield
• Liberation of Kuwait Operation Desert Storm
• Air (Jan.-Feb. 1991)
• Land (Feb. 1991)

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Persian Gulf War

• Origins
• U.S. Responses
• Deterrence (re. Saudi Arabia) Operation Desert
  Shield
• Liberation of Kuwait Operation Desert Storm
• Air (Jan.-Feb. 1991)
• Land (Feb. 1991)
• Iraq Liberation deferred

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Containment of Iraq

• Aims

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Containment of Iraq

• Aims
• Means
• Financial sanctions
• Restrictions on military mobility
• International inspections
• Occasional military strikes

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Containment of Iraq

• Aims
• Means
• Financial sanctions
• Restrictions on military mobility
• International inspections
• Occasional military strikes
• Assessment

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Terrorism

• Global and historical context
• Rise of Islamic fundamentalism

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Terrorism

• Global and historical context
• Rise of Islamic fundamentalism
• Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda

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Terrorism

• Global and historical context
• Rise of Islamic fundamentalism
• Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda
• War below the radar
• Terrorist attacks
• U.S. responses

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Terrorism

• Global and historical context
• Rise of Islamic fundamentalism
• Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda
• War below the radar
• 9/11

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• Background
• Soviet invasion, 1979-1989
• Civil war leading to Taliban control, 1989-1997

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• Background
• Low intensity war, 1998-2001
• 1998 U.S. missile attacks
• 1999 U.N. financial sanctions
• 2001 assassination of Ahmad Shah Masood

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• Background
• Low intensity war, 1998-2001
• Military conquest, 2001--
• Post-9/11 U.S. assault, October 2001
• NATO establishes ISAF, January 2002
• NATO takes command of Kabul, 2004 whole country,
  2006

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• Background
• Low intensity war, 1998-2001
• Military conquest, 2001--
• State-building, 2001
• Bonn summit 12/01 forms interim government
• Loya Jirga elects Hamid Karzai as president, to
  2004
• Loya Jirga adopts constitution, 2004
• Elections pres. 2004 parl. 2005

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• Background
• Low intensity war, 1998-2001
• Military conquest, 2001--
• State-building, 2001
• Recent trouble
• Taliban resurgence

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• Recent trouble
• Taliban resurgence
• Political tensions
• Karzai re-elected 2009, but political instability
• Opium production and corruption

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• Recent trouble
• Taliban resurgence
• Political tensions
• U.S. military dynamics
• Bush quiet surge, 4,500 troops, 2008-9
• Obama 30K new troops (100K total), 12/09
• NATO in 2010, indicated departure by 2014
• Nov 2011 U.S. talks with Karzai re. 10-year pact

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U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan

• Recent trouble
• Taliban resurgence
• Political tensions
• U.S. military dynamics
• Peace talks with Taliban??

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U.S. Invasion of Iraq

• Origins Bush decision for war
• Pitfalls of containment
• Impact of 9/11
• Fear of WMD
• Personal and psychological factors
• Maneuvering toward war

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U.S. Invasion of Iraq

• Origins Bush decision for war
• Maneuvering toward war
• The Twenty-One Day War

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U.S. Invasion of Iraq

• Origins Bush decision for war
• Maneuvering toward war
• The Twenty-One Day War
• Occupation
• U.S. errors
• Mounting insurgency
• Surge, 2007
• Withdrawal of U.S. combat forces, 12/11
• Balance sheet