War and Conflict Journal

Iraq War Battles

Was the Iraq War worth it?  With nearly 5,000 American dead, hundreds of thousands (at least) Iraqi dead, a Shiite regime in power in Baghdad, increasing tensions between the Arab Iraqis and the Kurdish Iraqis, and a plethora of other issues, was the war worth it from the American Perspective?

For more resources  on the Iraq War, see http://www.historyguy.com/iraq_war_links.html
Iraq
War Combat Video

Feel free to add your comments below on the worth of the Iraq War.

The Libyan War

 http://www.historyguy.com/libyan_war_2011.htm

Libyan rebels hoisting the pre-Gadhafi Libyan flag

The Libyan War began as a protest movement against long-time Libyan leader Colonel Muamar Gadhafi and quickly escalated into a full-scale civil war. As the Libyan government forces increased their use of deadly force on the rebels, the United Nations imposed a “No-Fly Zone” over Libya in order to “protect Libyan civilians.” The Libyan No-Fly Zone’s enforcement was undertaken by a coalition of European nations and the United States. The Libyan No-Fly Zone was begun with airstrikes and ship-borne missile strikes at Libyan air-defence installations as well as Libyan ground forces.Names of the Conflict:

The Libyan War of 2011Libyan No-Fly Zone War

Libyan Uprising of 2011

Libyan Civil War

Operational Names of Nations Intervening in Libya:

Operation Odyssey Dawn (United States)Operation Ellamy (United Kingdom)

Opération Harmattan (France)

Operation Mobile (Canada)

DATES OF CONFLICT:

BEGAN: February 15, 2011–Protests against the Libyan government began

Foreign Intervention Began: March 19, 2011

ENDED: Ongoing

 Libyan War Sources and Links:

Libya Uprising 2011–Wikipedia article

The Libyan War of 2011-Stratfor

2011 military intervention in Libya–Wikipedia article

Is It a War? Libya Terminology Is Tangled–Wall Street Journal

Events in Libya February 24, 2011:

–Forces loyal to the Libyan government counter-attacked rebels in the town of Zawiya, 30 miles west of Tripoli, and at the small airport outside Misrata, Libya’s third largest city.

–World oil prices reached $120 a barrel due to concerns over the violence in Libya and the fear of further revolt in the oil-producing regions of the Middle East.

–Gadhafi’s cousin, Gadhaf al-Dam, an aide who served as Gadhafi’s personal ambassador to other nations, defected to Egypt and denounced the Libyan dictator.

Libyan History:

http://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_libya.htm

http://www.historyguy.com/libya_unrest_timeline_2011.htm

Nigerian Rebels Claim Attack on Oil Pipeline

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta blamed the resumption of the attacks on the suspended peace talks due to President Umaru Yar’Adua’s absence.

December 19, 2009

The rebel group responsible for most of the attacks in Nigeria’s oil producing region claims to have destroyed a major crude pipeline in “a warning” strike early Saturday, December 19, 2009.  The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) says 35 of its fighters, armed with assault rifles and heavy machine guns raided an oil facility jointly operated by Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron in Rivers state.

The group met with President Umaru Yar’Adua last month at the start of peace talks. But the process has been stalled by Mr. Yar’Adua’s absence from Nigeria in the past few weeks. The Nigerian leader is receiving medical treatment in Saudi Arabia for a heart condition.

A statement by MEND said “a situation where the future of the Niger Delta is tied to the health and well-being of one man is unacceptable.” The group says it may review an indefinite cease-fire it declared after 30 days.

The Catholic bishop of the Niger Delta town of Bomadi, Hyacinth Egbegbo, is urging the militants to stay calm saying only a negotiated peace can bring lasting stability to the troubled oil-rich region.

“Let us go for peace, not for any more struggles,” said the bishop. “Armed struggle is not going to be in favor of any Nigerian. So let us sit down at the table and see that we resolve these problems amicably.  I appeal to the boys to take their guns away from the dialogue that is being initiated by the government. Because dialogue with guns is not dialogue. So let us put the guns aside and speak words of wisdom to each other so that we can come to a more amicable solution to the problem.”

The militant group, which says it is fighting for a fairer share of the region’s oil wealth, crippled daily oil production with series of attacks on oil facilities and personnel since early 2006.

But MEND has been severely weakened since dozens of its field commanders and thousands of gunmen accepted President Yar’Adua’s amnesty offer and disarmed.

The Niger Delta remains a stronghold for gangs and militant groups with strong opposition toward foreign oil companies and the government.

Security analysts say the oil industry remains vulnerable to opportunistic attacks, crude oil thefts and kidnappings. Nigeria plans to offer inhabitants of the Niger Delta an extra 10 percent in oil and gas revenues in a bid to end the rebellion.

Source: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/19dec09-nigeria-oil-79713812.html

The American helicopter raid into Syria this week which targeted an al-Qaida leader based there, may presage a similar attack into Iran in the near future. Just as missile strikes and a very similar commando raid into Pakistan's border region in September may have foreshadowed this raid into Syria's border area, the next logical target in the ongoing attempt to curtail cross-border aid and supply to al-Qaida and other insurgents into Iraq may be Iran.

Many analysts and pundits have mulled over the possibility of an "October Surprise" in the middle east which could affect the American Presidential race.  The theory being that an international crisis or event could highlight the foreign policy experience of John McCain over his opponent, Barack Obama.  Also, if a major military event took place, the American public may automatically back the party in power (the Republican), and this close to Election Day, that may translate into more votes for McCain.

This theory is faulty on several fronts.  First, the economy will continue to be Issue #1, and little short of a major terror attack on the U.S. homeland will change that.  Second, at this point in the war and in the election campaign, the American public would likely turn on the Bush Administration and, by extension, John McCain if it perceived an attempt to manipulate the election with the lives of American service members.

And then there is the real danger.  George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have been clear that they view the development of Iranian nuclear weapons to be a grave and mortal danger the the United States and its allies, particularly Israel.  Rather than start something with Iran before the election, in what the history books and public opinion would surely condemn as a blatant and heavy-handed attempt to influence the election, it is far more likely that the long-feared "Iran War" will begin after Barack Obama wins the election, which, as of this writing, seems very likely to occur.

Were McCain to take office, Bush and Cheney would likely feel assured that their policies on Iran and the nuclear issue would be carried on by McCain.  The same is not true of a likely Obama Administration.  Thus, in order to save America, Israel, and much of Europe from a nuclear-armed Iran, it is highly likely that at some point in the 77 day transition period between Election Day and Inauguration Day, an incident will occur, or a commando raid similar to those carried out on Pakistan and Syria will take place on Iranian soil.  Or, Israel may elect to attack Iran itself, with the full assurance of American support and involvement.

If Obama wins, watch for signs of military buildup and preparation.  This Iran War scenario is all the more likely after the raids on Pakistan and Syria.  After all, what do President Bush and Vice-President Cheney have to worry about if the American public disapproves of such a war?  Elect them out of office?  President Obama may be faced with a much more dangerous, chaotic, and violent world than now exists.

The main rebel group in Chad, the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD), has declared war on France. France, along with Austria, Sweden, Ireland, and other European Union members, are putting together a 3,500 man peacekeeping force in response to the warfare in Chad and neighboring Sudan’s Darfur region. The rebels allege French involvement in the war on the side of the government.

The UFDD is a coalition of several small rebel armies who seek to overthrow the government of President Idriss Deby, who invaded Chad himself in 1990 to overthrow the then-President Hissene Habre. Chad’s proven method of regime-change is through the barrel of a gun, with multiple coups, rebellions, interventions, and invasions in its history as an independent nation.

Since France freed Chad from its bondage as a piece of its decaying colonial empire in 1960, French troops and air power have intervened several times in the nation’s unending series of civil wars and rebellions. The current rebels allege French aid to the government, it is most likely true, based on France’s past actions in Chad and other former colonies.

As to why France may be motivated to get involved in a war not its own, one only needs to look at the fact that in 2003, Chad became an exporter of oil.

Sources:

Chadians declare war on France–Telegraph.uk

France plays down Chad war claim–BBC