The Importance and Effects of Intelligence in Foreign Policy: The Case of the USA and the 2003 Iraq War

30.06.2023 | Ömer TOMAK , Kaan Kutlu ATAÇ

It is seen that intelligence information was used as one of the tools of the war by the United States of America (USA) in the decision-making process leading up to the 2003 Iraq War. In this study, the effects of this intelligence information used in the war on both the processes of the war and the results of the war are examined. In the process leading up to the 2003 Iraq War, the necessity of a direct armed operation was one of the most emphasized issues by the USA. The most important reason for this situation for the USA is that there is intelligence information about weapons of mass destruction (WMD), which is also disclosed in official documents. In addition, WMD is seen as an important security problem by the USA, threatening both its territory and the territory of its allies. The September 11 attacks, which occurred as a result of the careless use of intelligence information before the 2003 Iraq War, changed the perspective of the US government on intelligence in the foreign policy decisions of the period and the corporate intelligence structure of the US. In this context, the study aims to answer how intelligence was used as an effective tool in the 2003 Iraq War, especially in the formation of foreign policy.

Tomak, Ö. ve Ataç, K.K. (2023). The Importance and Effects of Intelligence in Foreign Policy: The Case of the USA and the 2003 Iraq War. Journal of Intelligence Research and Studies, 2(2), pp.150-77, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.29228/icad.15