Part of the citizenship programme of study requires pupils to be taught about “the importance of resolving conflict fairly”. Pupils could consider the issues around the idea of a just war, looking at past conflicts such as the 1990s Gulf War and the 20th-century world wars to put the claims of a war against Iraq in context. They could roleplay a debate in the Security Council at a subsequent date as if Iraq has failed to comply with the most recent resolution.
Pupils could also consider drawing up a set of war aims for any conflict with options for questions such as “What exactly should coalition forces be permitted to do? What about the effect on innocent civilians? Should coalition forces be allowed to occupy the country? What should happen to Saddam Hussein? Should he, or anyone else, be tried as a war criminal or for crimes against humanity? How should Iraq’s oil supplies be handled if the country was occupied? What should the UN do if the country split apart as the result of a conflict?”
Pupils could return to discuss their war aims in six months time.
