ABSTRACT
The combination of 11 September 2001, a new pre-emptive national security strategy, and the worldwide war on terrorism culminated in the desire of the United States to galvanize the international community to support the removal of Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. This chapter details the traditional realist reliance on containment and deterrence when faced with an enemy endowed with weapons of mass destruction (WMD). In the case of war with Iraq, the stated policy of demanding regime change/removing the threat of WMD is viewed by realists as both unnecessary and potential dangerous. By recognizing both realist and political constructivist critiques as necessary for an analysis of US policy toward Iraq, the chapter offers a balanced challenge to the rationale(s) offered by the state. It highlights the need to recognize both a negative and a positive vision of international politics.
