Dramatis Personae
1 Introduction: Understanding a controversial war
Structure
Part One: Public opinion
2 British public influence over foreign policy
Searching for the Loch Ness Monster
A constructivist approach
3 The Iraq debate: An overview
Rallying round the flag
Pockets of support
Salience and communication
Part Two: Legitimacy
4 Understanding legitimacy
Legitimacy as a discursive construct
Studying the Blair government’s discursive legitimization efforts
Categorizing the debate
5 Threat and WMD
Judgement
Nuance
Evidence
6 Legality and the UN
Defining the UN’s role
Procedural ambiguities
Clashing timetables
7 Morality and regime change Understanding Tony Blair
Legality and morality
Regime change
8 Politics and authority
The ‘special relationship’
Blaming France
Domestic politics
Part Three: Tony Blair’s war in Iraq
9 Aftermath
Reality asserts itself
David Kelly
The 2005 General Election
10 Implications
Selling the Iraq war
A holistic approach
A two-level debate
Biography
James Strong is a Fellow in Foreign Policy Analysis and International Relations in the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics, UK.
‘Strong’s book is excellent, pushing our understanding of the relationship between public opinion and foreign policy in novel directions. The research is rigorous and well-grounded in theory and methods. I highly recommend it, to scholars, students, and any readers interested in democratic politics, British foreign policy, or the legitimacy of international interventions.’ - Juliet Kaarbo, Professor, Politics and International Relations, University of Edinburgh, UK
‘Strong provides a well written, closely argued book which is essential reading for students of British politics and academics alike.’ - Victoria Honeyman, Lecturer in British Politics, University of Leeds, UK
