ABSTRACT
The Iraq War is an attempt to shape the region and embodies just one military operation in the overall “war on terror” campaign. It reflects the Bush Administration’s vision of Middle East regional stability and predictability. The decision to remove Saddam Hussein appears to have been influenced by a number of reasons, such as eliminating weapons of mass destruction (WMD), safeguarding access to a vital natural resource, establishing democratic institutions as a counter to Islamic extremism, helping advance the Arab-Israeli peace process and enhancing Israel’s security, and promoting regional stability. All these reasons, to one degree or another, influenced the decision to invade Iraq, remove Saddam Hussein, renegotiate the Iraqi social contract, and reengineer the political institutions of the country. All these reasons, singly or in combination, arguably reflect the national interests of the United States.
