Iraq War: The Iraq War, which lasted from 2003 to 2011, had two main parts. First, there was a short war in March–April 2003. The United States and Great Britain, along with some other countries, invaded Iraq and quickly defeated Iraqi military forces.
Then, there was a longer phase where the United States led an occupation of Iraq, but faced opposition from insurgents. Violence started to decrease in 2007, and the United States began to bring its troops home, completing the withdrawal in December 2011. Around 4,500 American soldiers were killed, and about 32,000 were wounded during the conflict.
In this article, we will talk about the Iraq War: what happened, why it happened, when it took place, and some important facts about it.
Table of Content
Iraq War: Overview
Here’s an overview of the Iraq War:
|
Aspect |
Details |
|---|---|
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Also Known as |
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Duration |
March 20, 2003 – December 18, 2011 |
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Location |
Iraq |
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Participants |
Iraq • United Kingdom • United States |
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Cause |
Mainly attributed to allegations of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) possessed by Iraq, along with concerns about Saddam Hussein’s regime and its alleged links to terrorism |
Iraq War Background
Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 but was defeated by a group led by the United States in the Persian Gulf War from 1990 to 1991. Saddam Hussein’s party stayed in power by harshly stopping revolts by Kurds and Shiʿi Arabs. To prevent Kurds from leaving Iraq, the allies created a “safe haven” in the north and stopped Iraqi planes from flying in certain areas. The United Nations (UN) imposed economic sanctions on Iraq to stop its dangerous weapons programs, like nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
In the mid-1990s, UN inspections found banned weapons and technology in Iraq. Despite this, Iraq didn’t follow the UN rules and blocked inspections. In 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton ordered airstrikes on Iraq (Operation Desert Fox). After that, Iraq refused to let inspectors return, and nearby countries started trading with Iraq, weakening the sanctions.
In 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush said Iraq still had weapons of mass destruction and supported terrorists. This became a big deal after the 9/11 attacks. A UN resolution in 2002 asked Iraq to let inspectors back in. Iraq seemed to agree, but Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Iraq was still stopping inspections and keeping banned weapons. Some other leaders wanted more time for inspections, but Bush said no and gave Saddam Hussein an ultimatum to leave Iraq within 48 hours. Many leaders disagreed with this, but the war went ahead.
Iraq War: Interesting Facts
Here are some interesting facts about the Iraq War:
Operation Telic: The British invasion of Iraq was named Operation Telic. It began with air strikes on Baghdad and a ground assault from the Persian Gulf on the Al-Faw peninsula to secure oil fields and key ports.
Fall of Saddam Hussein: By April 9, 2003 US troops had reached Baghdad effectively ending Saddam Hussein’s regime.
End of Major Combat: On May 1, 2003 US President George W. Bush declared the end of major combat operations stating that the battle of Iraq was a victory in the war on terror.
Post-Invasion Challenges: The aftermath of the invasion saw widespread looting in Baghdad and other cities, damaging the country’s infrastructure. Unemployment soared, exacerbated by the disbandment of the previous regime’s army.
Rise of Insurgency: A violent insurgency developed across Iraq targeting Coalition forces and Iraqis working with them. Large quantities of arms and ammunition looted during the invasion fueled the insurgency.
Civilian Casualties: Thousands of Iraqi civilians were killed, injured, or displaced due to the escalating violence, reaching its peak in 2006.
Stabilization Efforts: By 2008, with the increase of US troops, the situation began to stabilize. British combat troops were withdrawn in July 2009, and US combat operations formally ended in August 2010.
UK Military Deaths: Between 2003 and 2009 there were 179 UK military deaths in Iraq highlighting the human cost of the conflict.
The 2003 conflict
When Saddam didn’t leave Iraq, the United States and its allied forces attacked on March 20. They started by bombing a place where Saddam might be. Then, they bombed other places in Iraq. American soldiers came from the south, while some were already in the north with Kurdish friends. Many Iraqi soldiers didn’t fight much, and there wasn’t much damage when they left.
In the south, American soldiers faced some trouble from Saddam’s supporters. In the middle of Iraq, Saddam’s special guards tried to protect Baghdad. American soldiers moved toward Baghdad along rivers, avoiding places where they might meet more trouble. They stopped for a bit because of bad weather but started again soon. They took control of Baghdad’s airport on April 4. Iraqi people didn’t fight much, and Baghdad fell on April 9. Basra, in the south, was taken by British soldiers on the same day.
In the north, American plans were stopped by another country, Turkey, but some American soldiers still reached there. American soldiers, along with Kurdish friends took Kirkuk on April 10 and Mosul on April 11. Saddam’s hometown Tikrit fell easily on April 13. Some of Saddam’s supporters kept fighting, but the big fighting ended on May 1. Saddam was caught on December 13, 2003,and later punished for his crimes.
Iraq War: Occupation and Continued Warfare
After the Baʿathist government fell, there was a lot of stealing and violence in Iraq’s cities. People took things from government buildings and other public places. There was also a lot of fighting. The soldiers from other countries had a hard time making things peaceful again. Many soldiers were killed, especially after the first fight in 2003. Some people think the fighting was like a civil war.
The economy in Iraq was really bad after many years of bad government. It was hard to fix things. Iraq had a lot of money problems and couldn’t make much oil, which was its main way to get money. The fighting after the war made it even harder to fix things.
In southern Iraq, many important religious leaders came back. People could visit holy places again. People also tried to find family members who were hurt or killed by the old government. There was a lot of fighting between different groups in Iraq. One group called the Mahdi Army, was really strong and caused a lot of trouble.
Iraq War: Causes
Here are the reasons why the Iraq War happened:
The Gulf War: This was a big conflict in the early 1990s involving Iraq and a group of other countries. It left some tensions unresolved, which played a part in the later Iraq War.
Saddam Hussein’s Actions: After the Gulf War, Iraq’s leader, Saddam Hussein, did things that upset other countries. This made them worried about what he might do next.
Tony Blair’s Ideas: Tony Blair who was the Prime Minister of Britain at the time had certain beliefs and goals that influenced his decision to join the Iraq War.
9/11 and the War on Terror: The 9/11 attacks in the United States many countries concerned about terrorism. Some leaders saw the Iraq War as part of a bigger effort to fight terrorism worldwide.
The Special Relationship: Britain and the United States have a close relationship. When the US decided to go to war in Iraq, Britain felt pressure to support them.
The Afghanistan War: This was another conflict happening around the same time. Some leaders thought the Iraq War was connected to efforts to bring stability to the region after the Afghanistan War.
Iraq War: Timeline
Below is a brief timeline of the British involvement in the Iraq War.
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Iraq War Dates |
Event |
|---|---|
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Early 1990s |
Iraq invaded Kuwait, causing tension in the region. Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s leader, was seen as a threat. |
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29th January 2002 |
US President George Bush called Iraq part of an “axis of evil.” |
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12th September 2002 |
Bush threatened Iraq with military action if it didn’t follow UN disarmament rules. |
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24th September 2002 |
The UK said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. |
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8th November 2002 |
The UN wanted Iraq to prove it had no weapons of mass destruction. |
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15th February 2003 |
People worldwide protested against war in Iraq. |
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18th March 2003 |
UK’s Parliament agreed to send troops to Iraq. |
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20th March 2003 |
US and UK troops invaded Iraq. |
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6th April 2003 |
British troops went into Basra, Iraq. The start seemed good, but support decreased. |
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March-May 2003 |
Many British troops supported the war, but numbers dropped. |
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17th July 2003 |
UK weapons expert David Kelly died. He was linked to claims about Iraq’s weapons. |
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13th December 2003 |
Saddam Hussein was caught. Iraq was in a civil war, and extremist groups grew. |
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28th January 2004 |
An inquiry found Tony Blair’s government didn’t lie about Iraq’s weapons. |
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16th December 2007 |
British troops handed control of Basra to Iraqi forces. |
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30th April 2009 |
UK troops stopped fighting in Iraq. |
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18th December 2011 |
US troops left Iraq, ending the war officially. |
Iraq War: Consequences
- Financial Cost: The Iraq War cost billions of dollars, causing economic strain on the US and other countries involved. It also diverted resources from other important areas like healthcare and education.
- Humanitarian Crisis: The war led to a humanitarian crisis in Iraq, with millions of people displaced from their homes. Many suffered from malnutrition, lack of clean water, and psychological trauma.
- Environmental Impact: The war caused significant environmental damage, including oil spills and pollution from destroyed infrastructure. Radioactive contamination from depleted uranium weapons also raised health concerns.
- Geopolitical Tensions: The Iraq War strained relationships between countries and contributed to global instability. It also served as a recruitment tool for terrorist organizations, leading to increased terrorism worldwide.
Iraq War: Summary
The Iraq War happened because the United States and Britain wanted to get rid of Saddam Hussein, who was in charge of Iraq. They believed he was a threat to the world because of the way he treated his own people and because they thought he might have dangerous weapons.
In 2003, they invaded Iraq and removed Saddam from power. After that, they tried to help Iraq become a better country with a new government and more freedom.
But many Iraqis didn’t want the Americans and British in their country, so they fought against them. This made the situation very difficult and dangerous for everyone involved.
Some people thought the war was a good idea, while others thought it was wrong and caused a lot of problems. It’s still a topic of debate today.
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FAQs on Iraq War: Summary, Causes, Dates & Facts
What were the main causes of the Iraq War?
The main causes of the Iraq War included the belief that Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq, possessed weapons of mass destruction and posed a threat to global security. Additionally, there was a desire to remove Hussein from power and promote democracy in Iraq.
When did the Iraq War start and end?
The Iraq War began on March 20, 2003, when the United States and its allies launched a military invasion of Iraq. The conflict officially ended on December 15, 2011, when the last U.S. troops withdrew from the country.
Is Iraq still in war?
No, Iraq is not currently engaged in a war. The Iraq War, which began in 2003 officially ended in 2011 when the last U.S. troops withdrew from the country. However, Iraq continues to face challenges related to security, political stability, and social cohesion. While there may be instances of violence and conflict within the country, Iraq is not considered to be in a state of war as it was during the Iraq War.
Who runs Iraq?
The current President of Iraq is Abdul Latif Rashid, who holds most of the executive authority and appointed the Council of Ministers, which acts as a cabinet and/or government.