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Examining the history of U.S. military attacks against Iraq
August 1, 2002
Web posted at: 6:25 PM EDT (2225 GMT)
Overview: As the Senate Foreign Relations Committee convenes hearings on the Iraqi threat to the U.S., Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld directs the Pentagon to develop a new plan for attacking Iraq. Students will examine the history of U.S. military attacks against Iraq since 1990 and create a timeline of their findings.
Read the story, "Rumsfeld send Pentagon planners back to drawing board over Iraq," and have students answer the following questions:
What is the focus of the current Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings? Who is Donald Rumsfeld? What is his position on U.S. military intervention in Iraq? What directive did he give to military officials at the Pentagon? Why is this directive politically significant?
Refer students to the links below and other resources to learn about the history of U.S.-Iraq relations since 1990. Divide your class into three groups. Instruct each group to conduct research on one of the previous U.S. military attacks against Iraq during this time period (1991, 1996 and 1998). Have each group identify the reasons for the attack, its impact, and the international community's response. Have groups present their findings in chronological order.
Then, help students to create a timeline of the key events that precipitated the U.S. military strikes against Iraq. Display the timeline in the classroom and refer students to it as they discuss the following questions:
How do the current tensions between the U.S. and Iraq compare to
those of the past?
To what extent does Iraq currently pose a threat to the U.S. and
the international community? How does this threat compare to those
posed by Iraq in the past?
Why might some heads of state be reluctant to support a
unilateral attack by the U.S. against Iraq at this point in time?
If the U.S. were to attack Iraq, do you think President Bush
should secure the approval of all western allies before giving
the attack command?
Should the U.S. launch a military attack against Iraq?
Teachers: For more information and activities on this topic,
visit the following CNNstudentnews.com site: http://www.cnn.com/2002/fyi/news/07/31/iraq/index.html
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