The War in Iraq

War In Iraq and Liberal Individualism

Liberal individualism in general presupposes that every individual has his own rights . It highly values the concept of freedom , such as freedom of speech , assembly and worship . In the political arena , liberalism has been used as a back-up in rationalizing a country 's involvement in wars Consequently , the occurrence of the war in Iraq which was mainly pursued by the United States of America , the war had seemed to occur for more than just purely libertarian ' purposes

Though the war was ignited behind US ' rationalization that

Iraq poses a threat on the American security , liberty and democracy , the failure of the American government to prove their accusations against the so-called imposed threats from Iraq , has lead to another discourse . The continuing debates regarding this issue has surfaced economic and political motives , which are not inclined with the presupposed liberal views of the American government engaging into wars

Contrastingly , the American aggression against Iraq has now turned into a battle for political , military and economic empowerment , rather than just a fight for state independence and liberty , as proposed by the thinkers of liberal individualism (Stolyarov II

Further , to create a more vivid understanding regarding the war in Iraq there are several philosophers who have been influential on the establishment of liberal theories . For the purpose of this , the works of Locke , Sandel , Walzer and Friedman will be studied in connection with their liberal individualism theories

Locke

According to Locke , humans live their lives in accordance to the state of nature which is characterized by man 's ability to live privileged with freedom and right to their property . In context , Iraq before the aggression against US , lived in peaceful existence amongst their fellows . They had the freedom to live the lives they wanted , acquire properties , and enrich their resources by utilizing their very much endowed natural resources . However , when conflicts against the US government started to emerge , Iraq then enters the stage that Locke called state of war

Aggression and powerful pursuit of their properties and resources - that is oil resources for the Iraqis - hastened the growth of conflict and hostile relationship between the two countries . And consistently in accordance to Locke 's theory , the pursuit of US to gain control over Iraq 's resources against their will has pushed the conflicts to greater level until the war erupted as the Iraqis resisted this take over and as a means of protecting their rights and properties

Following the series of defeat for the Iraqis , it once came it to succumb to the hegemonic influence of the US . For quite some time resistance against US has started to lie-low . However , like Locke 's assumption for the end of political society , the Iraq community then started to realize that preservation of themselves and the protection of their rights are far more important and permissible that in accepting the kind of society being pushed to them by the American government is like stripping off equality and rights and liberty . And hence , the war should still continue until they gain back what was rightfully theirs before the aggression started

Sandel

Sandel 's theory revolves around a certain moral and political vision His liberal vision of a society entails giving pride to justice fairness and individual rights . According to his theory , that a just society does not seek a particular end but rather it enables citizens to pursue their end which is subjectively consistent with their concept of liberty . This pursuit of end is characterized by conforming to their concept of right

In connection to the war in Iraq , US government seemed to utilize this theory in rationalizing the aggression that they launched . They have used the concept of individual pursuit of end towards the similar liberty right , as a justification to why they are ought to attack Iraq Their claim that Iraq poses a threat to their national liberty and civil protection substantiated this aggression , and their concept for what is morally right has defended that the US aggression must have been useful at all to eliminate the evil

Hence , this aggression instigated by US against Iraq seemed to have found its causal explanation from this theory . However , this presumption does not necessarily entail that they have been just and right all along . Their moral concept of right is not applicable to the rest of society , thus , this claim is centered on their culture and society along . It is only seems protective for the welfare of the Americans and detrimental to other societies

Walzer

On the other hand , Walzer 's theory encompasses the issue of membership territory and justice . According to him , membership in a society is integral to international relations and it entails purposes and set of possibilities and moral obligations towards other members and neighbors . Countries have to decide on their own size and character the admission of such memberships . However , membership doesn 't necessarily come with territory . Original inhabitants /members of a society shall control physical obligations in relation to keeping their jurisdiction in the territory . Consequently , it is nevertheless an issue that hostilities are formed when an alien group tries to seize a territory which has been already admitted under an old regime

This goes true with the aggression in Iraq . During the earlier times when there was still relative peace on the part of the Iraqis , they have neither confronted nor encouraged foreign influence towards their land and properties , as interactions of this kind were normal in the era of international interdependence . However , at the advent of territorial and social pursuit of the US against their land and properties , war broke out . This is true because it is innate for a group of people to be reactive when it comes to protection of property . Thus , more than just an issue of whether Iraq poses a threat for US welfare , the war in Iraq is also a means of protecting their economy , political rights territory , properties , life and liberty

Friedman

Friedman 's feminist communitarian theory is rooted particularly on families , neighborhood and nations , which feminists believe have been highly oppressive for women as they have harbored anti-feminist social roles and structures . Moreover , communitarians reject the idea of social self , posted by abstract individualists . For communitarians social self is defined by contingent and particular social attachments

In this view , the attack on Iraq being a country with more conservative women who are often subdued to their men , the aggression is also an attack against the feminine community who are likely to be more vulnerable and weak against physical attacks . Thus the suppression of practices and traditions , and even territorial disputes that are directed towards the Iraqi community , women suffers more due to the society 's inherent imposition of women 's supposedly moral values and obligations

Thus , the war in Iraq has been posted by US mainly on the assumptions of liberal individualism that the US government are ought to defend the rights , lives and liberties of all the American people throughout the world . The accusations of US against Iraq carrying weapons of mass destruction that shall ignite perish for the US community is the sole rationalization of the aggression , posted under the guise of liberalism However , given the current political economy that is prevalent in international relations , security threat is the least of the real reasons why Iraq has been put under fire by the US government , and neither the assumptions that Iraq nurtures growth of terrorism can also be used to rationalize the aggression . Politics is one of the major reasons behind the attack , but economical pursuit is stronger than any of the US ' rationale behind the attack . The growing market of oil industry and the perishing oil resources of US is the main reason why they have ought to seize Iraq

The US being the leading proponent and follower of liberalism in the world , they have used these theories to justify their acts . But theless , careful investigation behind these discourses and their actions would prove otherwise . Indeed , liberalism is a strong thought though , their purpose of protecting their individual rights and upholding of what is morally right ' is not consistent to the interests and welfare of the other members of the international community

Works Cited

Friedman , Marilyn (1989 ) Feminism and Modern Friendship : Dislocating the Community

Locke , John

Sandel , Michael (1984 . The Procedural Republic and the Unencumbered Self

Stolyarov II , G . Refutations of Respectable Fallacies Concerning the Iraq War . The Rational Argumentator : A Journal for Western Man . Issue XIV . 9 November 2007

Walzer , Michael . Membership

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