2003 invasion of Iraq

2003 invasion of Iraq

  250px

Clockwise from top: U.S. Marines entering Baghdad; Iraqi civilians cheer as a statue of Saddam Hussein is toppled; a convoy of U.S. military vehicles; U.S. soldiers watch an explosion in the distance.

The 2003 invasion of Iraq was the first stage of the Iraq War (also called Operation Iraqi Freedom by the United States). The invasion phase began on 20 March 2003 and lasted just over one month, including 21 days of major combat operations, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland invaded Iraq and deposed the Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein.

Background

The invasion of Iraq was preceded by a long history of conflict between Iraq and the United States, including the Gulf War in 1991. After the Gulf War, Iraq was subject to United Nations sanctions and weapons inspections. The United States and its allies accused Iraq of possessing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and having links to terrorism, which Iraq denied.

Justification for the Invasion

The primary justification for the invasion, as stated by the United States, was the alleged possession of WMDs by Iraq and the need to disarm Saddam Hussein's regime. The Bush administration also cited Iraq's alleged links to al-Qaeda and the need to spread democracy in the Middle East as reasons for the invasion.

The Invasion

The invasion began on 20 March 2003 with a "shock and awe" campaign, a massive aerial bombardment intended to quickly overwhelm Iraqi forces. Ground forces quickly advanced into Iraq, with U.S. forces capturing Baghdad on 9 April 2003. The Iraqi government collapsed, and Saddam Hussein went into hiding.

Aftermath

Following the invasion, the United States and its allies faced a prolonged insurgency and sectarian violence in Iraq. The failure to find WMDs led to widespread criticism of the invasion. Saddam Hussein was captured in December 2003 and later executed in 2006.

Criticism and Controversy

The invasion was controversial and led to significant international debate. Critics argued that the invasion was based on faulty intelligence and that it violated international law. The lack of post-invasion planning and the subsequent instability in Iraq were also major points of criticism.

Also see

• Iraq War
• Gulf War
• Weapons of mass destruction
• Saddam Hussein
• United Nations