ABSTRACT
The chapter has four sections. The first will examine the historical roots of the conflict between the United States and Iraq. It will describe the evolution of the relationship between the two countries over the previous two decades and review the main factors that fueled the escalation of bilateral tensions prior to the invasion. The second section will explore the moral basis of the decision to go to war by discussing the validity of jus ad bellum criteria of the just war theory. The third section will assess the legal legitimacy of the intervention by taking into consideration the legal arguments advocated by both the supporters and the opponents of the intervention. The fourth section will use a deliberative approach to analyze the accuracy of justifications (truth), the nature of the deliberative context (inclusiveness), and the depth of argumentative reasoning (truthfulness) exercised by the key actors involved in the decision to use force against Iraq. As the intervention was largely planned, initiated, and conducted by the United States, the following analysis will primarily pay attention to its decisionmaking and only secondarily to that of its closest ally, United Kingdom.
