The Domestic Politics of U.S. Policy towards the Persian Gulf

The following essay takes a closer look at those inter- and intra-branch dynamics of the U.S. political system that relate to Washington’s policy toward Iraq. According to LeLoup and Shull, the question of whether president and Congress are able to exert influence depends on such factors as the domestic political climate, public expectations, the result of presidential and congressional elections, as well as the influence of interest groups, intra-executive dynamics and the specific content of the policies formulated by the White House. This paper will therefore focus on the politics of the run-up and aftermath of the U.S.-led regime change in Iraq rather than on the respective policies themselves.