Iraq

Essay by Anonymous UserUniversity, Bachelor'sA, October 1996

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Since the Gulf War, the United States have continued to conduct covert military

operations in Iraq, most of which have involved the CIA. Their goal was to bring

about the demise of Saddam Hussein. Many attempts have been made to over-

throw the dictator usually ending with dismal results. Even though the world

does need policing, the United States or any other Nation or State, is not solely

suited to the responsibility. 'Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator is a ruthless

despot who has brought enormous misery on his own people. It is a pity he

remains in power...' (Finley 27). When the subject is Iraq, the United States still

feel a need to act as International Police.

Saddam's paranoia about plots to over-throw him has meant the death of

many. One incident caused a Squadron Commander in the Iraqi army to bribe a

truck driver to sneak him out of Baghdad after discovering that Iraqi Intelligence

had been to his fathers home asking about an alleged coup plot to assassinate

Hussein. After fleeing Baghdad, the Commander walked twenty five miles

across Iraqi army lines to a Kurdish defector camp. This camp was set up in 1991

by the United States, Britain and France. Located in Northern Iraq, its primary

intent was to protect the 3.5 million Kurds from attacks by Saddam Hussein -

who retaliated to the Kurdish rebellion against Baghdad near the end of the Gulf

War. The 'safe haven', encompassing over 14,000 square miles, also

accommodates defectors from the Iraqi army (Cooperman 59).

Hussein thoroughly purged his operations, executing hundreds of his

military officers who he felt were plotting against him. A splinter group that

split from the Kurdish rebels, calling themselves the Kurdish Democratic Party,

and backed by Iraqi fighters, staged an...