Reading

Thomas Ricks, Fiasco, chapters 1-11 | Fiasco audio download

Film: Bush's War | part I | part II

Introduction

On May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush flew on an S-3 Viking fighter jet to the USS Abraham Lincoln, which was anchored 30 miles off the coast of San Diego. After meeting with sailors and posing for photos, the President gave a controversial speech in which he announced that major combat operations in Iraq had ended. "In the battle of Iraq," Bush proclaimed, "the United States and our allies have prevailed." Plastered on the side of the ship behind the President was a sign declaring "Mission Accomplished."

Assignment | Each group will present a wiki to me for grading by November 6 at midnight.

Given what you know about al-Qaeda and the 9-11 attacks, what do you make of the Bush Administration and its War in Iraq? To answer this question, please construct a wiki with your partner that addresses the following topics.

1) When and how did the War in Iraq become a primary mission of the U.S. in the War on Terror?

2) Which political/military figures were principally responsible for advocating a War in Iraq? And, why did they push for such a war?

3) Which Bush Administration officials -- if any -- countered the prevailing trend and counseled Bush against a hasty invasion of Iraq? Why?

4) What was the Bush Doctrine?

5) Did the Bush administration attempt to shape the intelligence coming for the CIA and other agencies so that it would favor an invasion of Iraq? If so, how? If not, why not? 

6)  On what basis did the U.S. push the United Nations to support military action against Iraq? Who presented the administration's case to the U.N. in February 2003, and what did he say?

7) Militarily, what differences of opinion were there about the troop force needed to complete the mission in Iraq? Explain.

8) Between the opening attack on Iraq in March 2003 and the publication of the secret document, “Operation Iraqi Freedom Strategic Lessons Learned,” in September 2003, how did the War in Iraq develop? Be sure to cite specific examples from the period that address the following issues: military planning, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Looting in Baghdad, L Paul Bremer, the attack on the Jordanian Embassy, the attack on the United Nations Headquarters.

Technological Instructions and Due Date

- You and your partner will build a wiki within the SHSUonline system.
- To begin read the brief technical information at this link.
- I've already created a wiki for each group. You may access it by logging into SHSUonline; selecting our course; clicking on Course Tools; and clicking on Campus Pack. Your wiki -- titled "Fiasco: From 9-11 to the War in Iraq" -- should appear under the Content heading.
- You and your partner should develop a wiki that provides original written content. No copying and pasting from other websites or books.
- You may use quotations as long as you cite them in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style.
- You must spell check your wiki to ensure that it contains no errors.
- Your wiki must include appropriate images, photographs, maps, videos, and other media in high resolution. 
- Your wiki should be for public viewing on the web.
- Your wiki is due on November 6 by midnight .

I've posted my own sample wiki with the content for this assignment at:
http://shsu-prod2.campuspack.net/Groups/HIST339901F111/Littlejohns_Sample_Wiki