Persian Gulf War Essay -- essays research papers

The Persian Gulf is one of the few regions whose importance to the unify States is obvious. The flow of Gulf oil will continue to be authoritative to the stinting well-being of the industrialized world for the foreseeable future developments in the Gulf will have a critical impact on issues ranging from Arab-Israeli relations and religious extremism to terrorism and nuclear nonproliferation. Every president since Richard Nixon has recognized that ensuring Persian Gulf security and stability is a vital U.S. interest.The Clinton administrations strategy for achieving this goal during the presidents beginning(a) term was its attempted "dual containment" of Iraq and Iran. This is more a slogan than a strategy, however, and the policy may not be sustainable for much longer. In move to isolate both of the Gulfs regional powers, the policy lacks strategic viability and carries a high financial and diplomatic cost. Saddam Hussein is still in power half a dozen years after his d efeat at the hands of a multinational coalition, and the international consensus on continuing the containment of Iraq is fraying. The strident U.S. campaign to isolate Iran, in turn, drives Iran and Russia unitedly and the United States and its Group of Seven allies apart. Finally, the imposing U.S. military presence that helps protect the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) from external threats is being exploited by hostile elements to persuade advantage of internal social, political, and economic problems. The advent of the Clinton administrations second term, together with the imminent inauguration of a new administration in Iran following this Mays elections, provides an opportunity to look backward U.S. policies toward the Gulf and consider whether midcourse corrections could improve the situation. The first step in such a reevaluation is to view the problems in the Gulf clearly and objectively. In Iraq, the United States confronts a police state led by an errati c tyrant whos limited but potentially serious capacity for regional serve is currently subject to constraint. In Iran, the United States confronts a country with potentially considerable military and economic capabilities and an imperial tradition, which occupies a crucial position both for the Gulf and for future relations between the West and Central Asia. If Iraq poses a clear and relatively simple immediate threat, Iran rep... ...bsp   773     n.a.Imports (goods, US$ billion)     1,030     1,222     n.a.The performance of the US prudence is uninspiring in the early part of 2001. While industrial production recorded its fifth consecutive monthly decline in February 2001, retail gross revenue fell again in February after the rebound in the previous two months. The IMF has recently revised its US growth forecast for 2001 from 3.2% to 1.7%. Despite signs of economic weaknesses, the US empl oyment condition remains sound and inflation is well contained.Sourceshttp//debate.uvm.edu/roguestates.htmlhttp//www.twq.com/winter01/kemp.pdf http//www.stanleyfoundation.org/reports/normalization.pdf http//www.terrorism.com/terrorism/sloan.html http//www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ38a.pdf http//www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/usa.html http//www.embeeuu.gub.uy/cusreg.htm http//www.zmag.org/zmag/articles/ShalomIranIraq.html http//bookstore.gpo.gov/sb/sb-210.html http//www.middle-east-online.com/English/Business/Feb2001/US%20may%20have%20to%20drop%20sanctions%20against%20Iran,%20Iraq,%20Libya.htm