WAR ON TERRORISM

War on Terrorism



War on Terrorism

Introduction

The War on Terrorism is a campaign of United States supported by several members of NATO and other allies, with the stated purpose of ending terrorism internationally, systematically eliminating the so-called terrorist groups, so considered by the Organization United Nations (UN) (www.communities.gov, 2005). In addition to, all those suspect of belonging to these groups, based on the universal declaration of human rights, and put an end to the alleged sponsorship of terrorism by states. This international offensive launched by the Bush administration after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in New York and Washington, DC, by al-Qaeda. It became a central part of the foreign and domestic policy of former U.S. President, George W. Bush, supported by other States.

War in Afghanistan, 2001

The Taliban came to power in 1992-1996, after the civil war in Afghanistan, and controlled most of the territory. The 2001, War in Afghanistan by the U.S. military began on October 7 known as “Operation Enduring Freedom”, after Taliban's refusal to surrender Osama bin Laden to U.S. for the Sept. 11 attacks (Blanche, 2001). U.S. and NATO as allies proceeded to destroy the Taliban forces and occupy the country to ensure its transition to democracy. Subsequently, initiating operations to stabilize and rebuild the country that the theocratic Taliban regime had ruled.

After the liberation of Afghanistan, and within the strategy set by the United States, Iraq started to be seen as an objective geostrategic by unfavourable political situation for the West. Iraq is geographical located in the heart of the Middle East, sharing large borders with the Republic Islamic of Iran and Saudi Arabia. The vast majority of Western societies were against a possible war against Iraq. Despite the political cost, representing dozen countries around the world positioned favourably to an intervention, led politically by the U.S., UK and Spain. There was strong international controversy, as embodied in Security Council United Nations, where the U.S. delegation led by Colin Powell defended the possession of chemical and biological weapons by Saddam Hussein, along with the existence of mobile laboratories trucks located in difficult to detect (terrorism.about.com). This information provided by the CIA, based on the assertions of Iraqi dissidents and defectors. The countries for their oil contracts in Iraq as the People's Republic of China (China National Oil Company), France (TotalFinaElf) and the Russian Federation (Lukoil) opposed intervention. In countries not favourable to the intervention generated large, organized movements against the war, who argued that the reasons were purely economic and motivated by the need to control oil. In 2009, the government of Barack Obama sent 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan (ibid).

Iraq War

The war led to the rapid defeat of the Iraqi military, oust of Dictator Saddam Hussein, his capture in December 2003 and its implementation in December 2006 (Richardson, 2006). The coalition led by the United States in the new Iraq tried to establish a new democratic government, to deal shortly after the end of the war on organized violence, against coalition forces ...