ACTS OF DEFIANCE?:
Contemplating War in Iraq

Grades:  6-8, 9-12

Subjects:  American History, Current Events, Global History, Language Arts, Social Studies

Related New York Times Article
"Bush Gives Hussein 48 Hours, and Vows to Act, By RICHARD W. STEVENSON", March 19, 2003

Overview of Lesson Plan:: In this lesson, students contemplate, discuss and share responses to critical and analytical questions regarding impending war in Iraq. They then write persuasive essays arguing the pros and cons of the United States waging war unilaterally.

SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE:
1 hour

OBJECTIVES:
Students will:

1. Reflect on the pros and cons of waging war unilaterally.
2. Examine the Bush administration's current policy regarding Iraq by reading and discussing "Bush Gives Hussein 48 Hours, and Vows to Act."
3. Contemplate and respond to critical questions in small groups about waging war against Iraq; share questions and responses with classmates in broader class discussion.
4. Each write two persuasive essays, one supporting and one refuting the Bush administration's decision to wage war in Iraq.

RESOURCES / MATERIALS:

• pens/pencils
• student journals
• paper
• copies of the article "Bush Gives Hussein 48 Hours, and Vows to Act"(one per student)
• index cards or slips of paper with critical and analytical questions regarding United States military action against Iraq, as provided in Activity 3 below
• bowl or jar

ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURES:

1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Students respond to the following prompt in their journals (written on the board prior to class): "Fold a piece of paper in your journal in half vertically, and label one column 'Pros' and the other column 'Cons'". Then, in the appropriate columns, brainstorm a list of pros and cons of a country waging war on another country without international support. Allow students a few minutes to respond, and then another few minutes to share their lists. Compile responses in two columns on the board. You may also wish to engage students in a brief review of concepts such as unilateralism versus multilateralism.
2. As a class, read and discuss the article "Bush Gives Hussein 48 Hours, and Vows to Act," focusing on the following questions:
   1. What "ultimatum" did President Bush issue to Saddam Hussein on March 17, 2003?
   2. What will happen if Mr. Hussein does not comply with the ultimatum, according to the article?
   3. How have other countries responded to the Bush administration's plan?
   4. What position has the United Nations taken on the subject of military action against Iraq?
   5. What arguments does President Bush give for waging war against Iraq?
   6. About what did the President warn United States citizens to be on "heightened alert"?
   7. How many troops are in the region, and from which countries are they?
   8. How did President Bush respond to countries that have spoken out against the use of force in Iraq?
   9. What is President Bush's response to the United Nations Security Council?
   10. What is President Bush's "doctrine," according to the article?
   11. What information did the President provide to link Iraq to terrorist organizations?
   12. How has President Bush's foreign policy affected his presidency thus far, according to the article?
   13. Which locations in the United States are at increased security risk, according to the administration?
   14. What role is Australia playing in the potential military action?
   15. What is Canada's response to the threat of force?
   16. How has the role of Turkey changed with regards to military strategy?
   17. How much money does the Bush administration plan to ask Congress to contribute to the action against Iraq?
   18. Who is Robin Cook, and what was his response to Britain's support of the Bush administration?
   19. Along with Bush and Blair, which other country leader is in support of military aggression?
   20. What does United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan mean when he says, "If this action is to take place without the support of the Council, its legitimacy will be questioned, and the support for it will be diminished"?
3. Divide students into groups of three, and have each group draw two questions for deep consideration and discussion (written on index cards or slips of paper prior to class and placed in a bowl or jar). Give each group 10-15 minutes to discuss, formulate and write a response to each question.
   Questions should be of a deeper, critical and analytical nature, and may include the following:
   • Is a United States war against Iraq inevitable at this point? Why or why not?
   • If there is no or little international support, do you think that the Bush administration should carry out its plans for military aggression? Why or why not?
   • Do you think Saddam Hussein should comply with the Bush administration's ultimatum? Why or why not?
   • If the United States wages war against Iraq, how do you think it will affect its relationships with countries that are against the war?
   • What might a war in Iraq mean for other countries who possess weapons of mass destruction and are considered a threat to the United States?
   • Critics of United States military action in Iraq have suggested that there are ulterior motives for staging a war aside from preventing terrorism and creating a democratic Iraq. What are these motivations, and do you agree or disagree?
   • What do you think war without United Nations support will mean for the future of the organization? (I.e., do you agree with Kofi Annan that its "legitimacy will be questioned, and support for it will be diminished"?)
   • With so many countries taking skeptical or critical stances against a war with Iraq, what do you think are some reasons or motivations for leaders such as Blair and Aznar to support the war?
   After questions have been addressed, the class should reconvene and each group should present its questions and responses (one at a time), allowing time for a few outside comments or additional remarks from other classmates.
4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Based on the in-class activities, each student writes two brief persuasive essays (one page each), one supporting and one refuting the Bush administration's decision to wage war in Iraq. Regardless of students’ personal opinions, essays should be equal in length, tone and style. Essays should be shared in a future class.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Do you think that the dialogue among leaders and in the media has sufficiently addressed the real consequences of war, such as the loss of human lives, environmental damage and post-war reconstruction? If so, how have these issues been presented? If not, why not?
• Why do you think the Bush administration has "abandoned attempts to forge a united diplomatic front against Iraq"?
• How do you think President Bush’s foreign policy will ultimately affect his presidency?

EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT:
Students will be evaluated based on journal responses, participation in class and small group discussions and carefully crafted persuasive essays supporting and refuting war in Iraq.

VOCABULARY:
exile, forge, ultimatum, complying, defiance, ineffective, condemning, reprisals, amass, liberate, murderous, massed, scornful, lectern, doctrine, rogue, nonconventional, sorely, ornate, apparatus, dissidents, bolstered, stockpiled, commenced, reprisals, stringent, installations, appropriations, staunchest, legitimacy

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

1. The article mentions Spanish Prime Minister Aznar's support of the Bush administration's policies against Iraq. Research the diplomatic relationship between the United States and Spain since September 11, 2001. How might one compare certain policies, such as the Spanish government's recent closure of a Basque language newspaper under its new anti-terrorism laws, with legislative and policy changes in the United States?
2. How do police and reporters make crowd estimates? Research the science, technology and politics or crowd, parade and riot estimates, and then compare several sources’ accounts of recent anti-war demonstrations.
3. Read the text of President Bush's March 17, 2003 speech, and then read the March 17, 2003 resignation speech of Robin Cook, House of Commons Leader in the British Parliament and former foreign secretary. How does each man argue his perspective? Compare and contrast the politicians' use of emotive language, reasoning and argument in their speeches.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
Civics - Review the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which requires the President of the United States to consult with Congress when sending American forces into action. How effective has the resolution been over the past decades, and what role does it play in the current administration's policies? Stage a debate: "Should the War Powers Resolution be repealed?"

Economics - How do the projected costs of a war in Iraq fit into the current United States budget? Review this year’s budget, including what percentage is currently allocated to military expenses. How does defense spending compare to other domestic expenditures?

Journalism - Poll classmates, family members and neighbors about their positions on a war against Iraq. Are they for, against or indifferent to military action in the region? Ask your subjects to elaborate on their responses, and then publish your findings in your school or local paper.

Media Studies - Investigate the recent controversy around The Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines’s comment about President Bush. How did the band respond to radio stations dropping their songs from their playlists and boycotting their titles? What might this say about the risk of combining politics with art and entertainment? Write a paper outlining your position on the singer’s message and the public and corporate reactions to it.

Copyright 2003
The New York Times Company