American Plans to Build Democracy in the Middle East After 9/11: the Case of Iraq

Authors

  • Ewelina Waśko-Owsiejczuk University of Bialystok, Institute of History and Political Science

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1641-4233.21.02

Keywords:

United States, Iraq, Terrorism, Extremism, Democracy, Middle East

Abstract

The “Freedom Agenda” of President George W. Bush for the Middle East assumed that the liberation of Iraq from the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein and the start of political change would trigger the process of democratization of the entire region. Encouraged by financial and economic support, Arab countries should have been willing to implement political and educational support, which would lead to the creation of civil society and grass-roots political changes initiated by society itself. A number of mistakes made by the Bush administration in Iraq has not only caused the mission of the democratization of Iraq to be a failure, but also influenced the situation that today Iraq is closer to being a failed state than a democracy.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Ewelina Waśko-Owsiejczuk, University of Bialystok, Institute of History and Political Science

An Assistant Professor at the Institute of History and Political Science at the University of Bialystok, of which she is a graduate. She later graduated from the Faculty of Journalism and Political Science at the University of Warsaw (MA in Political Science, PhD in Political Science). Scholarship recipient of the Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg (2016) and the John F. Kennedy Insti­tute for North American Studies at the Berlin Freie Universität (2017). President of the Board of the Polish Society of Political Science – Bialystok Branch. Her research centers on U.S. security policy, focusing on issues such as combating terrorism, the transformation of the U.S. intelligence community after 2001, and the study of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

References

About MEPI, The U.S. Department of State. Web. 23 May 2016, http://mepi.state.gov/about-us.html
Google Scholar

Achcar, G., Fantasy of a Region that Doesn’t Exist. Greater Middle East: the US Plan, “Le Monde Diplomatique” (2004). Web. 23 May 2016, http://mondediplo.com/2004/04/04world
Google Scholar

Arab Democracy. Plenty of Seeds, But Still a Long Way to Fruition, “Economist” (18 November 2005). Web. 22 May 2016, www.economist.com/node/5134844
Google Scholar

Barack Obama hails Iraq election “milestone”, BBC. Web. 7 June 2016, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8554772.stm
Google Scholar

Bolle, M.J., Middle East Free Trade Area: Progress Report, Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, 8 February 2005.
Google Scholar

Broader Middle East/N. Africa Partnership, The White House (9 June 2004). Web. 16 May 2016, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040609–49.html
Google Scholar

Burns, R., Pentagon Used White Phosphorous in Iraq, “Washington Post” (16 November 2005). Web. 21 May 2016, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/16/AR2005111600374.html
Google Scholar

Bush: America’s Security Directly Linked to Freedom in Middle East, The U.S. Department of Defense. Web. 4 June 2016, http://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=17937
Google Scholar

Byman, D.L. and Pollack, K.M., Democracy in Iraq?, “Brookings Institution” (2003). Web. 19 June 2016, http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/2003/06/summer-iraq-byman02
Google Scholar

Carothers, T., U.S. Democracy Promotion During and After Bush. Washington: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2007.
Google Scholar

Caryl, C., The Democracy Boondoggle in Iraq, “Foreign Policy” (6 March 2013). Web. 6 June 2016, http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/03/06/the-democracy-boondoggle-in-iraq/
Google Scholar

Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 1: De-Ba`Athification Of Iraqi Society, National Security Archive (16 May 2003). Web. 20 May 2016, http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB418/docs/9a%20-%20Coalition%20Provisional%20Authority%20Order%20No%201%20-%205–16–03.pdf
Google Scholar

Collateral Murder, WikiLeaks. Web. 23 May 2016, http://www.collateralmurder.com/
Google Scholar

Datta, M.N., Anti-Americanism and the Rise of World Opinion: Consequences for the US National Interest. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Google Scholar

Democracy Index 2015, A report by The Economist Intelligence Unit. Web. 14 June 2016, http://www.yabiladi.com/img/content/EIU-Democracy-Index-2015.pdf
Google Scholar

Dobbins, J., Jones, S.G., Runkle, B. and Mohandas, S., Occupying Iraq: A History of the Coalition Provisional Authority. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation, 2009.
Google Scholar

Dodge, T., Ten Years After the Iraq War: Maliki Is a Serious Threat to Democracy, “New York Times” (20 March 2013). Web. 2 June 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/03/19/the-iraq-war-was-it-worth-it/ten-years-after-the-iraq-war-maliki-is-a-serious-threat-to-democracy
Google Scholar

Dziekan, M., Historia Iraku [The History of Iraq]. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Akademickie Dialog, 2007.
Google Scholar

Empowering Women, The U.S. Department of State. Web. 12 May 2016, http://photos.state.gov/libraries/tunis/5/PDFs/Women_FACT_SheetFINAL0513.pdf
Google Scholar

Fragile States Index 2015, The Fund for Peace (2015). Web. 19 June 2016, http://library.fundforpeace.org/library/fragilestatesindex-2015.pdf
Google Scholar

Ghanim, D., Iraq’s Dysfunctional Democracy. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2011.
Google Scholar

The Greater Middle East Initiative. Web. 29 May 2016, www.aljazeera.com/archive/2004/05/20084914585082787.html
Google Scholar

Hersh, S.M., Torture at Abu Ghraib? American soldiers brutalized Iraqis. How far up does the responsibility go?, “New Yorker” (10 May 2004). Web. 21 May 2016, http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/05/10/torture-at-abu-ghraib
Google Scholar

Hirsh, M., Reassessing Paul Bremer’s Stewardship of Iraq. “Newsweek” (18 March 2009). Web. 20 May 2016, http://www.newsweek.com/reassessing-paul-bremers-stewardship-iraq-69383
Google Scholar

Iraq and Weapons of Mass Destruction, “National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book,” no. 80 (11 February 2004). Web. 17 May 2016, http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB80/
Google Scholar

Iraq elections kick off amid threat of bomb attacks, huge security presence, CBS News (30 April 2014). Web. 19 June 2016, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraq-elections-kick-off-amid-threat-of-bomb-attacks-huge-security/
Google Scholar

Iraqi Constitution. Web. 6 June 2016, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/12/AR2005101201450.html
Google Scholar

Jawad, S.N., The Iraqi Constitution: Structural Flaws and Political Implications, LSE Middle East Centre Paper Series/1, November 2013.
Google Scholar

Khedery, A., Why we stuck with Maliki – and lost Iraq, “Washington Post” (3 July 2014). Web. 29 May 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-we-stuck-with-maliki--and-lost-iraq/2014/07/03/0dd6a8a4-f7ec-11e3-a606–946fd632f9f1_story.html
Google Scholar

Kiwerska, J., Bilans operacji irackiej dla Ameryki [America’s Balance of the Iraqi Operation], „Biuletyn Instytutu Zachodniego,” no. 75 (2012), pp. 1–4.
Google Scholar

Lewis, S., The Greater Middle East Initiative: Implications for Transatlantic Relations, CSIS Europe Program (5 March 2004). Web. 16 May 2016, https://csis-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/legacy_files/files/attachments/040305_lewissummary.pdf
Google Scholar

Mardini, R. and Sky, E., Maliki’s Democratic Farce, “New York Times” (27 October 2013). Web. 2 June 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/opinion/malikis-democratic-farce.html?_r=0
Google Scholar

McCarthy, T., Donald Rumsfeld denies he thought democracy in Iraq was ‘realistic’ goal, “Guardian” (9 June 2015). Web. 29 May 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/09/donald-rumsfeld-iraq-war-democracy-contradiction
Google Scholar

McElroy, D., Iraq ready to legalise childhood marriage, “Telegraph” (8 April 2014). Web. 18 June 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10753645/Iraq-ready-to-legalise-childhood-marriage.html
Google Scholar

McInerney, S. and Bockenfeld, C., The Federal Budget and Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2017: Democracy, Governance, and Human Rights in the Middle East, Project on Middle East Democracy. Web. 24 May 2016, http://pomed.org/pomed-publications/fy17-budget-report/
Google Scholar

The Middle East Partnership Initiative Story, The U.S. Department of State. Web. 12 May 2016, http://2002–2009-mepi.state.gov/outreach/
Google Scholar

Nasr, O., Abu Ghraib photos provoked shock, then anger, for Arabs, CNN (21 May 2009). Web. 21 May 2016, http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/21/iraq.abu.ghraib.impact/index.html?iref=24hours
Google Scholar

National Strategy for Victory in Iraq, National Security Council (November 2005). Web. 17 May 2016, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/documents/Iraqnationalstrategy11–30–05.pdf
Google Scholar

Pfiffner, J.P., US Blunders in Iraq: De-Baathification and Disbanding the Army, “Intelligence and National Security,” no. 25.1 (2010), pp. 80–82.
Google Scholar

President Bush Addresses the Nation, The White House (19 March 2003). Web. 22 May 2016, https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030319–17.html
Google Scholar

President Bush Delivers Graduation Speech at West Point, The White House (1 June 2002). Web. 12 May 2016, https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/06/20020601–3.html
Google Scholar

President Delivers State of the Union Address, The White House (29 January 2002). Web. 12 May 2016, https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/01/20020129–11.html
Google Scholar

Remarks by President George W. Bush at the 20th Anniversary of the National Endowment for Democracy (6 November 2003). Web. 23 May 2016, www.ned.org/george-w-bush/remarks-by-president-george-w-bush-at-the-20th-anniversary
Google Scholar

Reynolds, M., Bush Says U.S. Must Spread Democracy, “Baltimore Sun” (7 November 2003). Web. 6 June 2016, www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-te.bush07nov07-story.html#page=1
Google Scholar

Ricks, T.E., Army Historian Cites Lack of Postwar Plan, “Washington Post” (25 December 2004), p. A01.
Google Scholar

Salbi, Z., Why women are less free 10 years after the invasion of Iraq, CNN (18 March 2013). Web. 14 June 2016, http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/18/opinion/iraq-war-women-salbi/
Google Scholar

Schmidt, M. and Ghazi, Y., Iraqi Women Feel Shunted Despite Election Quota, “New York Times” (12 March 2011). Web. 14 June 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/world/middleeast/13baghdad.html
Google Scholar

Sharp, J.M., The Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative: An Overview, Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, 15 February 2005.
Google Scholar

Slevin, P., Wrong Turn at a Postwar Crossroads?, “Washington Post” (20 November 2003), p. A01.
Google Scholar

Sly, L., The hidden hand behind the Islamic State militants? Saddam Hussein’s, “Washington Post” (4 April 2015). Web. 20 May 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/the-hidden-hand-behind-the-islamic-state-militants-saddam-husseins/2015/04/04/aa97676c-cc32–11e4–8730–4f473416e759_story.html
Google Scholar

Swansbrough, R., Test by Fire: The War Presidency of George W. Bush. New York: Palgrave Macmillantm, 2008.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230611870

Tanner, S., Wojny Bushów. Ojciec i syn jako zwierzchnicy sił zbrojnych [The Bushes’ Wars. Son and Father as Heads of Armed Forces]. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Dolnośląskie, 2007.
Google Scholar

Trumbull IV, Ch.P. and Martin, J.B., Elections and Government Formation in Iraq: An Analysis of the Judiciary’s Role, “Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law,” no. 44 (2011), pp. 331–388.
Google Scholar

United States Institute of Peace. Web. 25 May 2016, www.usip.org/publications/the-broader-middle-east-and-north-africa-major-challenges-ahead.
Google Scholar

The U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative: Building Hope for the Years Ahead, The U.S. Department of State (12 December 2002). Web. 12 May 2016, http://2001–2009.state.gov/secretary/former/powell/remarks/2002/15920.htm
Google Scholar

Waśko-Owsiejczuk, E., Polityka administracji George’a W. Busha wobec Bliskiego Wschodu – o planach demokratyzacji i stabilizacji gospodarczej regionu [Middle East Policy of the George W. Bush Administration – on the Plans for Democratization and Economic Stabilization of the Region], “Przegląd Politologiczny,” no. 2 (2015), pp. 21–32.
Google Scholar

Waśko-Owsiejczuk, E., Wpływ polityki USA na powstanie „państwa” islamskiego. O spuściźnie prezydentury George’a W. Busha [The Impact US Policy on the Formation of the Islamic “State” the Legacy of George W. Bush]. “Athenaeum. Polskie Studia Politologiczne,” Vol. 53 (2017), pp. 7–31.
Google Scholar

Wittes, T., Freedom’s Unsteady March: America’s Role in Building Arab Democracy. Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2008.
Google Scholar

Yacoubian, M., The Broader Middle East and North Africa: Major Challenges Ahead (2004), The United States Institute of Peace. Web. 24 May 2016, www.usip.org/publications/the-broader-middle-east-and-north-africa-major-challenges-ahead.
Google Scholar

Yerkes, S.E. and Cofman, T., The Middle East Partnership Initiative: Progress, Problems, and Prospects, Brookings Institution. Web. 24 May 2016, www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2004/11/29middleeast-wittes
Google Scholar

Downloads

Published

2018-06-30

How to Cite

Waśko-Owsiejczuk, E. (2018). American Plans to Build Democracy in the Middle East After 9/11: the Case of Iraq. International Studies. Interdisciplinary Political and Cultural Journal, 21(1), 11–32. https://doi.org/10.18778/1641-4233.21.02