THE CHOICES PROGRAM BROWN UNIVERSITY
VIDEO COLLECTION

A Global Controversy: The U.S. Invasion of Iraq

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Introduction

What are some dos and don’ts for studying the Middle East?

Part I: A Brief History of Iraq

How have Iraqi attitudes toward the United States changed over time?
What was Iraq’s foreign policy like during Saddam Hussein’s rule?
How did Iraqis regard Saddam Hussein?
What was life like under Saddam Hussein?
How did Saddam Hussein come to power?
What was U.S. involvement in Iraq before its 2003 invasion?
Who lives in Iraq and how have ethnic and religious differences shaped Iraqi history?
How has oil affected the history of Iraq?
What was the legacy of British imperialism in Iraq?
How was Great Britain involved in the creation of Iraq?
How was the use of military force to protect civilians in northern Iraq in 1991 significant?

Part II: From Containment to Regime Change

What is the War on Terror?
What did the British public think of their government’s decision to invade Iraq?
Do you think that British and U.S. leaders had a good understanding of Iraqi history when they decided to go to war?
What motivated the Bush administration to invade Iraq?
Why do you think so few of your fellow senators voted against the resolution?
Why did you choose to vote against the resolution to authorize force against Iraq?
What was the climate like in the Senate on October 11, 2002, the day of the vote?
Did anyone attempt to amend the resolution?
What was H.J. Resolution 114 and who wrote it?
How does the United States decide if it will go to war?
What was the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq’s WMD programs?
What is your perspective on the U.S. “War on Terror”?
What motivated the Bush administration to invade Iraq?
What are the pros and cons of using preventive military action?
How did UN inspections in the 1990s affect Iraq’s weapons program?
What is the difference between preemptive and preventive war?
What were the effects of sanctions on Iraq?
What are examples of preemptive and preventive military action?
Why did the UN impose sanctions on Iraq from 1990 to 2003?
Did the U.S. media accurately portray the situation in Iraq leading up to the 2003 invasion?

Part III: The War and its Aftermath

Why is it important for high school students to understand what is happening in the Middle East?
How are societies in the Middle East changing?
Why has the use of the term “torture” been controversial?
What are the arguments against the use of torture?
How did Iraqis’ attitudes towards the U.S. occupation change after the Abu Ghraib scandal?
Why have estimates on casualties in Iraq varied so widely?
How were your findings received?
What were the findings of your studies in Iraq?
How precise were your estimates of civilian casualties in Iraq?
What was the Lancet study?
Whose responsibility is it to conduct casualty counts in Iraq?
What purpose do civilian casualty counts serve, and why are they so controversial?
How can casualty counts influence policy and public opinion?
How has the 2003 invasion of Iraq fueled terrorism?
To what extent has the 2003 invasion created opportunities for political change in Iraq?
How did the Iraq War affect women’s liberation?
How do Iraqis envision their future?
What have been the human costs of the War on Terror?
What have been the social and political costs of the War on Terror?
What have been the economic costs of the War on Terror?
What have been the consequences of the War on Terror?
What are the biggest challenges that Iraq War veterans face upon returning to the United States?
What have you observed during your visits to Iraq?
What are refugees and internally displaced persons?
  • March 25, 2011
What is the process for refugees coming to the United States?
Do refugees present a terrorist threat to the United States?
What do people in the Middle East think about terrorism?
How do media portrayals of ISIS promote misconceptions about the Middle East?
What are some common misunderstandings about the Middle East?

Lesson: The Geography of Iraq

How has oil affected the history of Iraq?
How was Great Britain involved in the creation of Iraq?
Who lives in Iraq and how have ethnic and religious differences shaped Iraqi history?

Lesson: Life in Iraq–1932

What was the legacy of British imperialism in Iraq?
How was Great Britain involved in the creation of Iraq?

Lesson: The Media and the Iraq War

Did the U.S. media accurately portray the situation in Iraq leading up to the 2003 invasion?

Lesson: Reflecting on the War

Why is it important for high school students to understand the costs of U.S. wars?
What is the Authorization for the Use of Military Force?
What have been the human costs of the War on Terror?
What have been the economic costs of the War on Terror?
What have been the social and political costs of the War on Terror?
What have been the consequences of the War on Terror?
To what extent has the 2003 invasion created opportunities for political change in Iraq?
Why should high school students care about the decision to invade Iraq in 2003?
What are the biggest challenges that Iraq War veterans face upon returning to the United States?
What have you observed during your visits to Iraq?
What were the findings of your studies in Iraq?
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