The War in Iraq(2003)

 The Iraq War, sometimes referred to as the Second Persian Gulf War, was a protracted war that started in 2003 when a coalition led by the United States invaded Iraq. The main defense offered by the US and its allies was the need to overthrow Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and the claimed possession of WMD by the Iraqi government. However, Iraq was never found to have an operational WMD program.

     Key Events and Phases

The war had two main phases:

1. The 2003 invasion began on March 20, 2003, when a coalition led by the United States initiated an air campaign and then invaded land from Kuwait. On April 9, Saddam Hussein's administration was overthrown as coalition forces quickly overcame the Iraqi military and seized control of Baghdad, despite initial resistance. 

2. Occupation and Insurgency: An insurgency against the US-led occupation forces arose following the overthrow of the regime. Serious sectarian bloodshed characterized this phase, with Sunni and Shia militias fighting each other as well as the coalition forces. Important occurrences comprised:

- One of the bloodiest confrontations of the war, the Second Battle of Fallujah, which took place in November 2004.

 
- The 2004 disclosure of prisoner torture at Abu Ghraib, which caused fury throughout the world.

 
- The installation of an elected government in Iraq in 2005, despite ongoing hostilities.

Deaths and Withdrawals 

Over 4,700 US and coalition soldiers lost their lives in the conflict, and estimates of the number of civilian deaths in Iraq vary from over 100,000 to over 600,000. The US temporarily increased force levels in 2007 as part of a "surge" tactic that helped lower violence. US military activities in Iraq came to an official conclusion in December 2011 as the US withdrew its personnel gradually.

There were intense discussions on the legitimacy of the Iraq War, its human cost, its long-term effects on the area, and US foreign policy. It caused political unrest in Iraq and opened the door for the jihadist Islamic State organization to flourish.

Links

Sources

[1] Iraq War - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War

[2] Timeline: The Iraq War - Council on Foreign Relations https://www.cfr.org/timeline/iraq-war

[3] Iraq War: Background and Issues Overview - EveryCRSReport.com https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL31715.html

[4] Iraq War | Summary, Causes, Dates, Combatants, Casualties, & Facts https://www.britannica.com/event/Iraq-War

[5] The Iraq War | George W. Bush Library https://www.georgewbushlibrary.gov/research/topic-guides/the-iraq-war