Grouthink and the Causes of the Iraq War

The Iraq War is thought of to be one of the most controversial conflicts ever. The war unveils questionable accounts from officials and citizens around the world. The Iraq War proves to be very multi-dimensional in its relation to its causes. Not only the events that spawned the war, but through the theories and models that foreshadowed the war. The war covers a systematic timeline of events that reveal areas that are influenced by groupthink, the Democratic peace theory, and can be seen through Allison Graham's decision making model. These events and theories will help shed a different light on how the war looked from just a time line standpoint.

The interesting aspect about the Iraq War is that it was never sparked by an actual event in history that led to an inevitable decision to go to war. Much can be said relative to the start of the conflict, but in hindsight, the decision to invade Iraq was the cause of the Iraq War. Whether the decision was justified or not remains based upon the reasoning and the circumstances behind the decision making process. According to a decision making process by Irving L. Janis called groupthink, and evidence supporting his claim, it is clear the decision to invade Iraq was an unjustified decision resulting from groupthink.

It is important to explain groupthink thoroughly so one can fully understand its role in decision making. This decision making model refers to the costly decisions made as a result of pressures that are exerted on those making a collective decision. These decisions are most likely irrational and most commonly made by a homogenous group. Important decisions that would often require unanimity will often result in careless decisions.

Janis considers eight symptoms that he feels result in groupthink. Illusion of invulnerability is being over optimistic of your supposed advantages allowing a group to feel invisible. Collective Rationalization occurs when groups assume circumstances and do not evaluate their outlooks. Belief in Inherent Morality develops when group members consider their planned actions so righteously that they do not consider the moral boundaries they may cross. Stereotyped Views of Out-groups contributes to irrational decisions due to negative outlooks on another group effect by their decisions. Direct Pressure on Dissenters is the pressure exerted on those that may disagree with the groups' ideas. Self-Censorship refers to the lack of focus on a groups doubts or alternative thinking. Illusion of Unanimity occurs when members of a group assume the majority opinion is agreed upon by everyone making the decisions. Finally, Self-Appointed 'Mindguards' are those that hide information from the group and or head of decision making that would disrupt plans or ideas created by the group.

Now to understand how these many of these symptoms were apparent in the decision in to invade Iraq, we need to understand more of the history of the conflict and those that were involved. This was not the first time the United States considered Iraq as a state with terrorist relations. In 1979, with knowledge that Iraq and Saddam Hussein supported well-known terrorist organizations, they were listed on the State Sponsors of Terrorism. During the Iran-Iraq war, the United States saw that neutrality and eventually support for Iraq was beneficial because it help them prevent chaos in the Middle East which could have a severe domino effect to the United States as its allies could be strongly affected. Thus, the United States began its attempt to obtain diplomatic relations with Iraq. Donald Rumsfeld had been sent by the Reagan administration to meet with Hussein to assist in this process. After the Persian Gulf War, tensions between Kuwait (who had backed Iraq) and Iraq increased due to Iraq's debt to Kuwait, annexation desires, and Kuwait's oil overproduction. These factors led to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait At this time, the United States began to further recognize Iraq's human rights violations and also was firmly against its invasion of Kuwait. Again, the United States saw the protection of these oil-rich fields were important to the world stability. Furthermore, after withdrawal by Iraq and many years of tension throughout the 1990s, Iraq had remained a state on constant watch by the United States. On September 2001, the World Trade Centers were attacked by al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. This gave birth to the United States War on Terrorism. This left many wondering, how does this involved Saddam Hussein?

Although not immediately, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda had admitted to being responsible for the WTC attacks. With the War in Afghanistan being rightfully handled, tensions grew between Iraq and the United States as well as the United Nations. Both the US and UN were concerned of the possibility of Iraq manufacturing and harboring weapons of mass destruction. Collectively, they felt Iraq's alliances with several nations in its region posed a threat to the national security of both nations. Although no evidence was found that supported any such claims, the United States also had suspicion that Hussein supported al-Qaeda. With all we know about Saddam Hussein, it would appear this was enough for an invasion. On March 20th 2003, American troops, without declaring war, invaded Iraq.

The decision to invade Iraq was made by President George W. Bush and his closest advisors. His cabinet consisted of Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, Nation Security Council Advisor Condoleeza Rice, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Undersecretary of Defense Policy Douglas Feith, Special Assistant in the State Department David Wurmser, (also Middle East Advisor) Richard Perle and Kenneth Adelman on the Defense Policy Board, CIA director George Tenet, and Office of Special Plans officials Bill Luti and Abe Shulsky. Most of his advisors were self-proclaimed experts on foreign policies getting much experience from the Nixon to George H. W. Bush Era. Cheney, who was the Secretary of Defense under George H. W. Bush, disagreed with the notion to removed Hussein from power militantly, but rather used sanctions and no fly zones. As previously stated, Rumsfeld got much of his experience throughout the Reagan administration. Condoleeza Rice although not directly relative, did work for Bush I for the National Security Council. Paul Wolfowitz was the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy during the same era in which he help raise funds from allies to aide in military action in the Persian Gulf War. Perle, Feith and Wurmser can also be represented as the coauthored "Clean Break" which discussed a plan to removed Hussein to make the Middle East a friendlier region (Foreign Policy Analysis, 6( 4) 277-296.

Throughout the historical escapades between the United States and