DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2789-6919/47/9-14
Aida Baghirova
Baku State University
Doctor of History
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4458-6970
aida_bagirova@yahoo.com
The Diplomatic Struggle of the Leading States on the Eve
of the 2003 Iraq War
Abstract
The article examines the diplomatic struggle of the major powers on the eve of the war against Iraq by the international coalition forces led by the United States in March 2003. The article notes that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack created qualitatively new challenges not only to the security of the United States, but also to the existing world order as a whole and the fight against terrorism became a priority issue for the leading world powers. After the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan as a result of the anti-terrorist operation (October 2001), the Iraqi regime was accused of producing weapons of mass destruction and supporting international terrorism and was declared the source of the global terrorist threat. Already from the second half of 2001, the resolution of the Iraqi problem by force became a goal within the framework of the anti-terrorist campaign conducted by the United States. During this period, the diplomatic struggle of the leading states was mainly conducted between the permanent members of the UN Security Council and the leading states of the EU.
The article shows that there were two contradictory positions and approaches to the settlement of the Iraq problem. The USA and its main ally, Great Britain, advocated a solution to the problem by force, while other members of the UN Security Council – France, Russia and China, as well as Germany, the leading state of the EU, sought a peaceful resolution of the problem.
Keywords: September 11 2001 terror, anti-terrorist operation, USA, UN Security Council, Iraq 2003 War