Deanna Grunenberg

I. Kashmir Observer

War that Plunged Iraq into chaos and utter bloodshed entered in its Sixth year

April 16, 2008

http://kashmirobserver.com/index.php?id=3953

II. This article is about the negative sides to the war in Iraq. It is critiquing President Bush’s policies. It explains that the war on Iraq is the longest war in US history in the past century. The article states that Bush’s statements about the war are not accurate. This article says that the war is not getting better, and we have not made much progress. It claims that life in Iraq is not getting any better, contrary to Bush’s statements. The war in Iraq has also cost $3.5 trillion. This has made taxes increase for ordinary citizens. This article also says that having Saddam as a leader was better for Iraq because now there is a lot of sectarian violence. This article basically claims that Bush’s decision to go in Iraq was a bad one.

III. A) This article relates to the AP World History Theme, State-building, expansion, and conflict because it is a nation talking about another nation. India is writing an article about the United States of America. They do not feel the way a US citizen might feel. They have nationalism for their own country.

B) The historical background of this issue would be that in 2003, the USA went to war in Iraq because of terrorism. Suddam Hussain took over power and ran his government like a dictator by force, intimidation, and torture. Then he became so powerful that he wanted to take over everything. Saddam invaded Kuwait so the US went to help Kuwait, and threw Saddam out of Kuwait. Then the International Community believed that Saddam was making weapons of mass destruction so the US invaded Iraq to get rid of Saddam Hussain.

C) This newspaper is an Indian newspaper, but the writer was a student of International journalism in the United Kingdom. She is an outsider.

D) The author’s point of view is very biased. She states that Bush is lying to the US, and that nothing has progressed over the years while in Iraq. This author mentions a lot about the negative sides of the war including the amount of money it has cost and the amount of troops that have died. She also says that sectarian violence has increased. The author does not mention that the Iraqis got to vote for the first time, and that torture and intimidation has decreased exponentially. There has also not been an attack on the US since the US invaded.

E) A point of view that is missing from this article is an American citizen. It would be helpful to hear from them because they would have formed their own opinions about the war on Iraq. They might have on insight on whether or not they agree with Bush.

F) I am surprised at how much the author is against Bush. I think that it is a good thing that we went into Iraq. I believe that it was important. I understand that some things have not changed, but the author neglected to say what has changed.