United States Launches Invasion of Iraq

Context

In the decade after the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq remained under international sanctions and subject to weapons inspections by the United Nations. Saddam Hussein’s government repeatedly restricted or expelled inspectors, fueling suspicions in Washington and London that prohibited programs continued. The September 11, 2001 attacks shifted U.S. priorities toward preventing future threats from states linked to terrorism or unconventional weapons. Iraq was placed in the “axis of evil” alongside Iran and North Korea in early 2002.

What Happened

By early 2003 the Bush administration had assembled a coalition that included the United Kingdom and several other nations while seeking but failing to obtain a second UN resolution explicitly authorizing force. On the evening of March 19, Bush addressed the American people from the White House, stating that coalition forces had begun strikes against “targets of military importance” in Iraq. Cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs struck leadership and command sites in and around Baghdad that night. Ground elements of the coalition, primarily U.S. and British forces positioned in Kuwait, prepared to cross the border within hours.

Aftermath

Within weeks coalition troops advanced rapidly northward, capturing Baghdad by early April and ending organized resistance from the Iraqi army. Hussein’s regime collapsed, and senior officials were either captured or went into hiding. The initial phase of major combat operations concluded by May, though scattered fighting and the beginnings of an insurgency soon followed.

Legacy

No stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction were ultimately found, prompting intense scrutiny of prewar intelligence assessments and the decision-making process. The conflict strained relations between the United States and several traditional allies, contributed to prolonged instability across Iraq, and shaped subsequent debates over military intervention and nation-building. It remains a central reference point in discussions of early twenty-first-century U.S. foreign policy.