1. Was it necessary?

2. A Conflict of Interest
 The US believes Iraq  Popular opposition to war
possesses WMD’s was present, citing
 It is joined by the UK, inconclusive evidence
America’s staunchest ally  Some military commanders
and soldiers were also
 The US justifies potential
opposed, due to inherent
invasion of Iraq by reason
risks
of Iraq’s violation of
 Congressional opinion was
disarmament resolutions
of the diplomatic sort, but
supported action if
diplomacy failed

3. Weapons of Mass Destruction
 The main rationale for
the invasion was the
Iraqi non-compliance
with UN disarmament
resolutions
 The US thought Iraq
as a result had or was
producing WMDs

4. Human Rights
 The US and its allies
supporting invasion
cited human rights
abuses by Saddam
Hussein as additional
reasoning for action
 One example cited
was Saddam’s murder
campaign against
Kurdish civilians in
northern Iraq

5. Association with Al-Qaeda
 The final major
rationale for invasion
was the perception
that Iraq harbored
Al-Qaeda leaders
and fighters
 This was significant
as the US was
already 2 years
deep into a war in
Afghanistan against
the Taliban

6. Lack of Evidence (WMDs)
 Despite rhetoric,
opponents of the
war cite the lack of
evidence of WMDs
as the first sign of
the war’s misguided
nature
 Hans Blix, chief UN
weapons inspector,
made that
assessment prior to
the war

7. Legality Of War
 The war in Iraq has been widely thought
of as being illegal, due to the fact that
the US did not get permission from the
rest of the UN security council.
 Not doing so meant violating the United
Nations Charter, which forbids war while
diplomatic means can still be applied.

8. Loss of Life
 The final and most
significant criticism
of the war centers
on loss of life.
 Estimates range
from just over
100,000 to over 1
million people.

9. My Opinion

10. Sources
 http://web.mit.edu/CIS/pdf/Human_Cost
_of_War.pdf
 http://www.iraqbodycount.org/
 http://factcheck.org/2008/02/no-wmds-
in-iraq/
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3718150.stm
 http://globalstrategy.columbia.edu/blix/