A.R.
Grade 11
“Was the Mexican War a justified act of self defence or an unjustified act of imperialism, and are there comparisons to the recently ‘ended’ wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?” Americans had one objective and that was to expand due to the belief in American superiority also known as Manifest Destiny, which was the creed that it was their destiny or predestination to expand. This became an obstacle to neighbouring empires due to Americas oppressive intentions. Mexico had won its independence from Spain, and they were now an empire. America approached the new country about selling off Texas, but Mexico refused, to prevent invasion they invited Americans to settle Texas as Mexican citizens. The Americans became tired …show more content…
The American government wanted to expand power due to the War on Terror conflicts, by expanding their power in Iraq and Afghanistan it would be less likely for them to attack. The Americans did this by setting up multiple military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan which can equate with the Americans moving into Mexican territory before the Mexican War. This was done to establish a military presence to represent the advancement if imperialism. Military spending had increased by 15% at this time due to the inkling that American imperialism demanded for military, economic and diplomatic influence on alternative countries. There was contradictions on the US governments machination, specifically the point in which they are sending in military forces into an area of speculation. The threat was skeptical, there was doubt that Iraq and Afghanistan had been a hazard, but the US took this as an opportunity to stop them in their tracks even though they were going off of speculations. Instability on the War on Terror topic only intensified the powerful oppositions in both countries making both Iraq and Afghanistan the center of imperialism. The American government wanted to gain control over Iraq and Afghanistan to assert dominance in the economic and political aspects, as well as to gain the resources in the middle east. The major resource in Iraq and Afghanistan was oil, the US owned 70% of the worlds known and declining oil reserves and they sought to have ascendency over more. As we can see, this proved another point of imperialism. The American government created an excuse to move into Iraq and Afghanistan with force, so they could create dominance in the middle east, which greatly connects to the Mexican War, in which America had subliminal motive which was to gain land and its resources as well as create a sense of