Occupation of Iraq: Mismanagement and Chaos (2003-2004)

Anderson, Bush's Wars, 149-67; Riverbend, 25-64, 76-81, 162-72, 201-7 (Aug. 26-Sept. 12, Sept. 19-24, Dec. 12-24, 2003; Feb. 13, 2004)

1. What economic and new safety problems do Anderson and Riverbend describe?

How did Riverbend react to the CPA and the Iraqi Governing Council?

2. What CPA policies in Iraq are to blame for these problems?

Why were “De-Ba’athification” and disbanding the Iraqi army big mistakes?

3. Why is the CPA’s location a good example of cultural avoidance?

How did mismanagement of the CPA undermine the U.S. strategy of creating a stable and democratic Iraq?

What role did “contractors” play?

Alienating the Iraqi Public

Public safety fears

Looting, April 2003

Criminal gangs and religious vigilantes (Anderson, pp. 144-45; Riverbend, pp. 39-41, 201-7 on Aug. 30, 2003 & Feb. 13, 2004)

May onward

U.S. soldiers (Riverbend, pp. 53-56 on Sept. 8, 2003)

Iraqi schoolgirls flee an approaching US army patrol in the Baghdad suburb of Abu Gharib 05 November 2003

Economic mismanagement (Anderson, pp. 144-45, 156; Riverbend, pp. 49-51, 162-72 on Sept. 6 & Dec. 12-24, 2003)

Water

Electricity

Cooking gas

Gasoline

Political alienation (Riverbend, pp. 25-30 on Aug. 26, 2003)

CPA and governing council of "puppets"

U.S. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld meets with Iraq Governing Council President Abdel Aziz Hakim in Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 6, 2003

Occupation plan developed on fly

U.S. military occupation, April 9 onward

Militarization of U.S. foreign policy under Dept. of Defense (Anderson, p. 139)

State Department marginalized

“Future of Iraq Project,” 1200 page, 13-volume report

Office of Reconstruction & Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA)

Ret. Lt. General Jay Garner

Appointed, Jan. 20, 2003

Dismissed, April 24, 2003

*Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), April 2003-June 2004

*Ret. Ambassador L. Paul Bremmer

Arrived, May 12, 2003

*Iraqi Governing Council, July 13, 2003-June 1, 2004 (Riverbend, pp. 25-28)

25 members

9 rotating Presidents

Political alienation

CPA and governing council of "puppets"

Based on Riverbend's opinions of the CPA and Iraqi Governing Council, did they succeed in legitimizing the U.S. occupation of Iraq in the eyes of the Iraqi public? (Riverbend, pp. 25-30 on August 26, 2003)

Mistakes in Iraq

Unclear chain of command (below)

Militarization of U.S. foreign policy under Dept. of Defense (Anderson, p. 139)

State Department marginalized

CPA vs. Military

Iraqi arms depots not guarded

CPA mistakes (Bremmer? Rumsfeld? Bush?), May 2003

Appointed governing council of “puppets”

*De-Ba'thification (est. 85,000 civilian bureaucrats)

Economic mismanagement

Shortages of water, electricity, gasoline

Iraqi military, presidential guard and internal security disbanded

720,000 total troops and security personnel

Frontline, "Losing Iraq," 15:20-17:00 is most relevant to class (The entire documentary is an example of high-quality investigative broadcast journalism).

Cultural Avoidance & Mismanagement

CPA cultural avoidance

Green zone

Contractors, 2006

20,000 security/mercenary

More than all allied troops after British withdrawals (Anderson, p. 172 )

40,000 support services