Theoretical Sociology of War and Structural Causes of the 2003 US Invasion of Iraq

Abstract

In this article, I present a theory of American military imperialism that combines three structural factors: the military-industrial complex (MIC); elite control of public policy; and elite, imperial ideology. I argue that because this theory is more plausible and empirically grounded than major Weberian and Marxist theories of war, it can provide a better explanation for specific US military interventions. As a theory of American military imperialism, it is also more nuanced than existing power elite theories. A case study of the 2003 Iraq War is presented to illustrate the utility of the theory. The case study shows that in invading Iraq, key Bush administration officials sought to expand the MIC and their own decision power making within it, and that these preferences were associated with their specific elite social backgrounds, and the hardline ideology they subscribed to. I conclude with suggestions for future research.

“It Would be Funny if it Wasn’t Horrifying”: A Discourse Analysis of the 2019 Conscious Eating Conference Debate on In Vitro Meat

“…Belkin is of the reformist perspective and advocates for trans inclusivity into dominant society. Spade takes a radical perspective by arguing that trans people should not be concerned about whether they are “allowed” to be in the armed forces; instead, trans people should be about demolishing the military industrial complex altogether (see also LaPrairie 2022).…”