Abstract
Within thirteen years, the United States engaged in two military actions against Iraq, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Although the principal countries were the same in both conflicts, the context was quite different from one to the other. In confronting Saddam Hussein's regime, George H.W. Bush championed a "new world order" based on the principles of international law, whereas George W. Bush promoted unilateralism and preemptive war. This article utilizes an ethical framework to assess the decision-making that accompanied the two Iraq wars. Questions concerning the legitimacy of force and the legality of anticipatory military action within the UN Charter system are discussed, with specific reference to virtue-based, principles-based, and consequence-based ethics. The conclusion highlights the implications of these concerns for the UN and for multilateral cooperation.
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