Long Island University's political science department will offer acourse in spring 2008 that will help students examine thebackground, conduct, and implications of the U.S. invasion andoccupation of Iraq. Economic, political, and military interests willbe examined; connections will be drawn to the history and politicsof the Middle East, the future of U.S. democracy, the role of thepolitical opposition, the perspectives of other domestic andinternational actors, and more. The course will explore the eventsleading up to the invasion; internal politics within the Bushadministration; the domestic and world reactions to the war;developments in Iraq and the region; the significance of oil in theworld economy; the role of the media; consequences of U.S. methodsupon human rights standards; opposition to the war; and the impactof the war at home. The participating faculty are John Ehrenberg,professor of political science and department chair; J. PatriceMcSherry, professor, political science and director, Latin Americanand Caribbean Studies; Jose Ramon Sanchez, associate professor ofpolitical Science and chair of urban studies; and Caroleen MarjiSayej, assistant professor of political science.