SARMIENTO, ELIK MIKHAIL O.

POL111 (Fundamentals of Political Science)

Activity 5 Asynchronous September 15, 2020 3-5
According to Kenneth Waltz in his book, Man, State, and War, there are three ways of
investigating the causes of war.
A first level examines the certain personality traits of leader involved in conflict, a
second level examines the internal composition of the states, and a third level examines
the structures that exist at the international level.
1. Marawi Siege
1.a. First Level – Isnilon Hapilon, the leader of the Abu Sayaff group affiliated
with the Islamic State of Iraq which have been for decades, conducting violent rebellion
against the government seeking to make their province independent, has sided with the
Maute brothers and other terrorist groups in Marawi.
1.b. Second Level – The Armed Forces of the Philippines initially planned to
capture Isnilon Hapilon but due to misinformation and possibly manipulation by the
terrorist group, the surgical operation to capture Hapilon was interrupted when Hapilon's
forces opened fire on the combined Army and police teams and called for
reinforcements from the Maute group as the entire city was reported to be filled with
armed men.
1.c. Third Level – The Islamic state of Iraq, an international terrorist organization
designated by the United Nations, affiliated with the Abu Sayaff to aid in their goals and
terrorism in the country aiding them intelligence and weapons like improvised explosive
devices, mortars and automatic rifles that were used in the war.
2. American war against Iraq
2.a. First Level –George W. Bush, the President of the United Sates of America
formally announced the start of a war in Iraq due to the happenings in 9/11 where many
Americans were frightened that another attack on their homeland would take place.
Saddam Hussein, the brutal dictator, for thirty years was the center of instability in the
Middle East and possibly the United States in the future.
2.b. Second Level - The current government at that time, the administration of
President George W. Bush aimed to end the dictatorship in Iraq and to spread
democracy in the said country. By utilizing this strategy neighboring countries of Iraq
like Syria, Jordan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia would also be influenced for democracy. And
as this spread out, they thought that terrorism would also decline. The administration
supposed that with the birth of democracies in these areas, Saddam Hussein would
lose his capability to the rule in the area. This making an excellent standpoint in
structuring the benefits of the incoming war.
2.c Third Level – The United Nations indicated that the Iraqi regime posted a threat
internationally and to all mankind, it posed a threat to the security to everyone thus
classifying this situation as an international level threat. President Bush said in response
that “The conduct of the Iraqi regime is a threat to the authority of the United Nations,
and a threat to peace… The Security Council resolutions will be enforced — the just
demands of peace and security will be met — or action will be unavoidable”. That rests
the case that the international level cause of this war was the Iraqi regime itself and that
the US used this opportunity not to invade Iraq, but the War was rather viewed as self-
defense.