Difference between revisions of "US-Iraq/war/invasion"

Revision as of 17:42, 18 July 2009

the President
he's got his war
folks don't know
just what it's for
no one gives us
rhyme or reason
you have one doubt
they call it treason
- Roberta Flack, 1969
"Compared to What"

Navigation

The US-Iraq War

Overview

This page is about the 2003 United States-led invasion of Iraq ordered by George W. Bush and beginning on 2003-03-20, which officially started the US-Iraq War; the invasion phase officially ended on 2003-05-01 with the toppling of Saddam Hussein's government, Iraqi infrastructure in US hands and with Bush's arrival on the USS Abraham Lincoln and the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner. The US has continued to occupy Iraq despite mounting costs in both dollars and lives and despite growing opposition both within the US and internationally.

Conclusions

The invasion was sold to the citizens of the United States on false pretenses led to the US occupation of Iraq, which has become both a logistical and political quagmire of unprecedented expense.

The one positive effect was to get rid of Saddam, but it should be noted that his rise to power was originally supported by the US. It's fair enough to say "when Saddam went the wrong way, we took him down again -- we keep our house clean", but then why did we stand by and allow him to be executed? Why did we stop short of continuing on to Baghdad during the original Gulf War in 1993, when the citizens there rose up against Saddam at our request and trusting in our promise to keep them safe? It would seem, in the absence of satisfactory answers to these questions, that the US's behavior with respect to Iraq has been substantially less than honorable.

Events

2002-10-16 Iraq Resolution: the official "declaration of war" required before military force can be used

Related Pages

The invasion and occupation of Iraq are part of the Bush administration's "war on terror".
US justifications for invading Iraq
Balkans vs. Iraq: a day-and-night comparison of the two interventions

Links

Reference

News

2005-07-18 Report: invasion of Iraq provided boost for Al-Qaeda
2003-03-31 President Updates America on Operations Liberty Shield and Iraqi Freedom: Remarks by the President at the Port of Philadelphia
2003-03-29 President Discusses Iraqi Freedom Progress in Radio Address: Radio Address by the President to the Nation
2003-03-23 President Discusses Military Operation: Remarks by the President in Press Availability Upon Return From Camp David
2003-03-22 President Discusses Beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom: President's Radio Address
2003-03-08 War on Terror: President's Radio Address

Trivia

"Drat Saddam, a mad dastard!" is a palindrome.

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 {{nav.us-iraq}}
 ==Overview==
-This page is about the 2003 '''{{USA}}-led invasion of [[Iraq]]''' ordered by [[George W. Bush]] and beginning on 2003-03-20, which officially started the [[US-Iraq War]]; the invasion phase officially ended on 2003-05-01 with the toppling of [[Saddam Hussein]]'s government, Iraqi infrastructure in US hands and with Bush's arrival on the USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' and the infamous "[[Mission Accomplished (Iraq)|Mission Accomplished]]" banner. The US has continued to [[US occupation of Iraq|occupy]] Iraq despite mounting costs in both dollars and lives and despite growing opposition both within the US and internationally.
+This page is about the 2003 '''{{USA}}-led invasion of [[Iraq]]''' ordered by [[George W. Bush]] and beginning on 2003-03-20, which officially started the [[US-Iraq War]]; the invasion phase officially ended on 2003-05-01 with the toppling of [[Saddam Hussein]]'s government, Iraqi infrastructure in US hands and with Bush's arrival on the USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' and the infamous "[[George W. Bush/mission accomplished|Mission Accomplished]]" banner. The US has continued to [[US occupation of Iraq|occupy]] Iraq despite mounting costs in both dollars and lives and despite growing opposition both within the US and internationally.
 ===Conclusions===
 The invasion was sold to the citizens of the {{USA}} on [[US justifications for invading Iraq|false pretenses]] led to the [[US occupation of Iraq]], which has become both a logistical and political quagmire of unprecedented expense.