Political Science 401, The Politics of the War in Iraq

Fall Semester 2007

Administration 209

Tuesday, Thursday, 1:45-3:30

http://www.plu.edu/~olufsdw/401.htm

D.W. Sid Olufs, Political Science Dept.

535-8727, olufs@plu.edu

Office: Xavier 107, MW 12-1:30, T 11:45-12:30, + TBA +appts.

The course will examine political dynamics of the US/Iraq conflict. 

Readings. 

·        A collection of articles, available through electronic reserve and from the instructor.

·        Online readings available on the course web page

·        Thomas E. Ricks, Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq (Penguin Press, ISBN-13: 978-1594201035)  (Paperback)

·        George Packer, The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq (Farrar, ISBN-13: 978-0374530556)  (Paperback).

 

Assignments & Expectations.  This course uses the assigned material to develop skills in reading, writing, speaking, critical and logical thinking.  These require practice.  Assignments for a typical course meeting will include writing a summary of an argument in the readings, writing an answer to a question on a study guide, and presenting or responding to oral arguments in the classroom.  Assignments appear on the course web page.  Attendance and active participation in course meetings are basic course requirements.

  Students will have a leading role in deciding which questions the course should investigate, and will be responsible for participation in groups which investigate and present findings on particular questions.

  You are allowed to bring and use laptop computers in class, but restrict their usage to course activities.  Turn off cell phones and PDA’s when in class.

 

Academic Integrity.  The extensive use of online sources presents special challenges to students and professors.  Digital technology makes it much easier to use the words and ideas of others; it alters the balance between university rules, moral values, and incentives.  We need to remind ourselves how to draw the lines between acceptable and unacceptable use of online, and other, material.  The course web page includes a link to the University policy on academic integrity and to advice for writers. 

 

Grading Policies.  All work must be turned in by the assigned date and time.  The clarity of your work is important, and so the quality of writing is a factor in grading.  See the course web page link to advice for writers.

·        Assigned essays, almost daily, evaluating written and other arguments:  50%.  See the assignments page, on the class website, for a description of the different types of assignments.

·        Participation:  10% (Three absences and all 10% is deducted)

·        Policy Paper, 20%

·        Final Examination, 20%

 

The order of readings is contingent upon decisions we make about which questions to answer.  To begin with, keep track of news stories about the war and its effect on our politics.  The course web page has a link to assignments.

 

The course topics are organized into the following units:

1.           Origins: Afghanistan.

2.           Origins: Adding Iraq to the agenda.

3.           The Debate in the U.S., The Decision to Invade

4.           Technology, Strategy, Conduct of War.

5.           The Media in the War

6.           The Cleanup and Reconstruction

7.           Insurgency and Blowback

8.           Effects on US Politics

9.           War and Justice

 

Other books that are useful to the course:

·        James Bamford, A Pretext for War: 9/11, Iraq, and the Abuse of America’s Intelligence Agencies (NY: Doubleday, 2004).

·        Richard A. Clarke, Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War on Terror (NY: Free Press, 2004)

·        Michael R. Gordon and Bernard E. Trainor, Cobra II: the Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq (NY: Pantheon, 2006).

·        Todd S. Purdum, A Time of Our Choosing: America's War in Iraq (NY: Times Books, 2003).

·        Frank Rich, The Greatest Story Ever Sold: the Decline and Fall of Truth From 9/11 to Katrina (NY: Penguin, 2006).

·        Scott Ritter, Iraq Confidential: The Untold Story of the Intelligence Conspiracy to Undermine the UN and Overthrow Saddam Hussein (NY: Nation Books, 2006).

·        Bing West, No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah (NY: Bantam Books, 2005).

·        The Iraq Study Group Report, available online from the US Institute of Peace, at http://www.usip.org/isg/iraq_study_group_report/report/1206/index.html (this is on the course disk)

·        The new Army Counterinsurgency manual, FM-3, December, 2006, coauthored by General David Petreus, available at http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-24.pdf (this is on the course disk)

 

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.  If you have any questions concerning the services available for special needs at PLU call Ruth Tweeten in Services for Students office at ext. 4206.