Strategy, Security, and War in Iraq: The United States and the Gulf in the 21st Century
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Authors
Russell, James A.
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Date of Issue
2005-07
Date
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Language
en_US
Abstract
Over the course of events taking place in and around the Persian Gulf over the
last three years, the United States has used force to replace a despotic dictator who once
served Western interests, placed considerable distance between itself and its erstwhile
regional partner Saudi Arabia, and reduced its role as arbiter in the Arab–Israeli dispute.
Operation Iraqi Freedom would seem to reveal that the United States has chosen a broader
vision for the role that force could play as part of a more aggressive security strategy. The
Gulf littoral’s forward-deployed footprint, set into place during the first Gulf War, enabled
effects-based capabilities to be tested in Iraq that have come online since the 1990s,
enabling the US military to begin to operationalise what was initially dubbed the
‘Revolution in Military Affairs’ and now is called ‘Transformation’. As such, the Gulf
infrastructure provides the US with a model to emulate around the world as it seeks to
realign its forces to better address new threats in the global theatre. The Gulf facilities will
become central hubs in the network of bases stretching throughout Central and South Asia
and the Horn of Africa which will perform missions associated with the global war on
terror. Operation Iraqi Freedom represents only the beginning of this phenomenon in an
emerging new global defense strategy that may see forward-deployed forces around the
world used with increased frequency to manage an uncertain security environment.
Type
Article
Description
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Department
National Security Affairs
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Citation
Cambridge Review of International Affairs / V.18, No.2 (July 2005)
Distribution Statement
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This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.