Back from Baghdad

Abstract

When he started campaigning in 2007, Barack Obama reiterated his strong opposition to the Iraq War, which had by then degenerated into a violent and bloody civil war that the United States was struggling to control. His engagement with the issue had three advantages: to emphasize the consistency of his positions, since he had opposed the war since 2002; to differentiate himself from his rival Hillary Clinton, who had supported George W. Bush in this matter without careful consideration; and to create a wedge between him and his Republican rivals who were burdened by the legacy of Bush. This is when he developed his famous tale of two wars: war of choice (Iraq) and war of necessity (Afghanistan).¹ The clever distinction was designed to convince the American public that a withdrawal from Iraq would not be costly because it did not respond to any strategic necessity, while the fight against those responsible for the September 11 attacks— Al Qaeda—justified an increased commitment in Afghanistan.²