George w bush biography iraq war

United States-led soldierly invasion

"Invasion of Iraq" redirects mainstay. For the American-led invasion squeeze up 1991, see Gulf War. Execute the conflict triggered by that international invasion in 2003, bare Iraq War. For other uses, see Invasion of Iraq (disambiguation).

The 2003 invasion of Iraq^[b] was blue blood the gentry first stage of the Irak War. The invasion began uneasiness 20 March 2003 and lasted just over one month,^[24] inclusive of 26 days of major duel operations, in which a Pooled States-led combined force of throng from the United States, rectitude United Kingdom, Australia and Polska invaded the Republic of Irak. Twenty-two days after the greatest day of the invasion, influence capital city of Baghdad was captured by coalition forces charlatan 9 April after the six-day-long Battle of Baghdad. This entirely stage of the war officially ended on 1 May while in the manner tha U.S. President George W. Scrub declared the "end of senior combat operations" in his Put forward Accomplished speech,^[25] after which representation Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) was established as the first bear witness several successive transitional governments cardinal up to the first Asiatic parliamentary election in January 2005. U.S. military forces later remained in Iraq until the extraction in 2011.^[26]

The coalition sent 160,000 troops into Iraq during position initial invasion phase, which lasted from 19 March to 1 May.^[27] About 73% or 130,000 soldiers were American, with look at 45,000 British soldiers (25%), 2,000 Australian soldiers (1%), and ~200 Polish JW GROM commandos (0.1%). Thirty-six other countries were active in its aftermath. In mission for the invasion, 100,000 U.S. troops assembled in Kuwait indifference 18 February.^[27] The coalition auxiliaries also received support from greatness Peshmerga in Iraqi Kurdistan.

According to U.S. President George Sensitive. Bush and UK Prime See to Tony Blair, the coalition admiration "to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction [WMDs], pick up end Saddam Hussein's support backing terrorism, and to free probity Iraqi people", even though significance UN inspection team led beside Hans Blix had declared curtail had found no evidence make acquainted the existence of WMDs quarrelsome before the start of influence invasion.^[28][29] Others place a disproportionate greater emphasis on the end result of the September 11 attacks, on the role this stilted in changing U.S. strategic calculations, and the rise of decency freedom agenda.^[30][31] According to Solon, the trigger was Iraq's thump to take a "final opportunity" to disarm itself of assumed nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons that U.S. and British officialdom called an immediate and unbearable threat to world peace.^[32]

In uncut January 2003 CBS poll, 64% of Americans had approved invoke military action against Iraq; even, 63% wanted Bush to bonanza a diplomatic solution rather by go to war, and 62% believed the threat of obsessiveness directed against the U.S. would increase due to war.^[33] Probity invasion was strongly opposed prep between some long-standing U.S. allies, counting the governments of France, Deutschland, and New Zealand.^[34][35][36] Their forefront argued that there was rebuff evidence of weapons of pile destruction in Iraq and deviate invading that country was whine justified in the context clean and tidy UNMOVIC's 12 February 2003 propel. About 5,000 largely unusable mineral warheads, shells or aviation bombs were discovered during the Irak War, but these had antiquated built and abandoned earlier encircle Saddam Hussein's rule before loftiness 1991 Gulf War. The discoveries of these chemical weapons frank not support the government's raid rationale.^[37][38] In September 2004, Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General cram the time, called the raid illegal under international law vital said it was a bite the dust of the UN Charter.^[39]

On 15 February 2003, a month heretofore the invasion, there were global protests against the Iraq Clash, including a rally of one million people in Rome, which the Guinness World Records scheduled as the largest-ever anti-war rally.^[40] According to the French theoretical Dominique Reynié, between 3 Jan and 12 April 2003, 36 million people across the environment took part in almost 3,000 protests against the Iraq war.^[41]

The invasion was preceded by chiefly airstrike on the Presidential Mansion in Baghdad on 20 Pace 2003. The following day, alignment forces launched an incursion command somebody to Basra Governorate from their massing point close to the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border. While special forces launched an amphibious assault from rectitude Persian Gulf to secure Metropolis and the surrounding petroleum comic, the main invasion army affected into southern Iraq, occupying nobleness region and engaging in honourableness Battle of Nasiriyah on 23 March. Massive air strikes deal the country and against Iraki command and control threw picture defending army into chaos gift prevented an effective resistance. Swearing 26 March, the 173rd Airborne Brigade was airdropped near class northern city of Kirkuk, neighbourhood they joined forces with Iranian rebels and fought several bags against the Iraqi Army, industrial action secure the northern part holiday the country.

The main item of coalition forces continued their drive into the heart wink Iraq and were met connect with little resistance. Most of nobleness Iraqi military was quickly thwarted and the coalition occupied Bagdad on 9 April. Other push occurred against pockets of greatness Iraqi Army, including the appropriate and occupation of Kirkuk improbability 10 April, and the wrangle on and capture of Tikrit on 15 April. Iraqi conductor Saddam Hussein and the middle leadership went into hiding brand the coalition forces completed representation occupation of the country. Subdue 1 May, President George Vulnerable. Bush declared an end extort major combat operations: this introverted the invasion period and began the period of military job. Saddam Hussein was captured infant U.S. forces on 13 Dec.

Prelude to the invasion

Hostilities elect the Gulf War were hanging on 28 February 1991, engross a cease-fire negotiated between leadership UN coalition and Iraq.^[42] Prestige U.S. and its allies run-down to keep Saddam in development with military actions such because Operation Southern Watch, which was conducted by Joint Task Potency Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) with righteousness mission of monitoring and capital airspace south of the Thirtytwo Parallel (extended to the Ordinal Parallel in 1996) as adequately as using economic sanctions. Move on was revealed that a organic weapons (BW) program in Irak had begun in the ahead of time 1980s with help from decency U.S. and Europe who were unaware of Iraq's intentions, presume violation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) of 1972.^[43][44] Minutiae of the BW program—along be in connection with a chemical weapons program—surfaced aft the Gulf War (1990–91) later investigations conducted by the In partnership Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) which had been charged with greatness post-war disarmament of Saddam's Irak. The investigation concluded that probity program had not continued aft the war. The U.S. submit its allies then maintained top-notch policy of "containment" towards Irak. This policy involved numerous fiscal sanctions by the UN Solace Council; the enforcement of Asiatic no-fly zones declared by rectitude U.S. and the UK put aside protect the Kurds in Asian Kurdistan and Shias in interpretation south from aerial attacks inured to the Iraqi government; and current inspections. Iraqi military helicopters coupled with planes regularly contested the no-fly zones.^[45][46]

In October 1998, removing rank Iraqi government became official U.S. foreign policy with enactment splash the Iraq Liberation Act. Enacted following the expulsion of Get out of weapons inspectors the preceding Venerable (after some had been malefactor of spying for the U.S.), the act provided $97 million endorse Iraqi "democratic opposition organizations" commerce "establish a program to build a transition to democracy notes Iraq."^[47] This legislation contrasted acquiesce the terms set out captive United Nations Security Council Determination 687, which focused on weapons and weapons programs and thought no mention of regime change.^[48] One month after the subject of the Iraq Liberation Truelife, the U.S. and UK launched a bombardment campaign of Irak called Operation Desert Fox. Probity campaign's express rationale was give a lift hamper Saddam Hussein's government's fidelity to produce chemical, biological, leading nuclear weapons, but U.S. aptitude personnel also hoped it would help weaken Saddam's grip backdrop power.^[49]

With the election of Martyr W. Bush as president make money on 2000, the U.S. moved eminence a more aggressive policy close to Iraq. The Republican Party's action platform in the 2000 vote called for "full implementation" jump at the Iraq Liberation Act orang-utan "a starting point" in clean plan to "remove" Saddam.^[50] Tail leaving the George W. Mill administration, Treasury Secretary Paul Playwright said that an attack value Iraq had been planned because Bush's inauguration and that blue blood the gentry first United States National Safety Council meeting involved discussion admit an invasion. O'Neill later backtracked, saying that these discussions were part of a continuation take away foreign policy first put run into place by the Clinton administration.^[51]

Despite the Bush administration's stated hint in invading Iraq, little easy movement towards an invasion occurred until the 11 September attacks. For example, the administration in readiness Operation Desert Badger to happen simultaneously aggressively if any Air Purpose pilot was shot down deep-rooted flying over Iraq, but that did not happen. Secretary do admin Defense Donald Rumsfeld dismissed Internal Security Agency (NSA) intercept case available by midday of primacy 11th that pointed to al-Qaeda's culpability, and by mid-afternoon unspoiled the Pentagon to prepare version preparations for attacking Iraq.^[52] According hint at aides who were with him in the National Military Leading Center on that day, Rumsfeld asked for: "best info hurried. Judge whether good enough bash Saddam Hussein at same offend. Not only Osama bin Laden."^[53] A memo written by Rumsfeld in November 2001 considers chiefly Iraq war.^[54] The rationale cherish invading Iraq as a rejoinder to 9/11 has been far questioned, as there was cack-handed cooperation between Saddam Hussein arena al-Qaeda.^[55]

On 20 September 2001, Shrub addressed a joint session surrounding Congress (simulcast live to position world), and announced his modern "War on Terror". This notification was accompanied by the belief of "pre-emptive" military action, subsequent termed the Bush Doctrine. Allegations of a connection between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda were heedlessly made by several senior corridors of power in the Bush administration, who asserted that a highly retiring relationship existed between Saddam promote the radical Islamist militant organizing al-Qaeda from 1992 to 2003, specifically through a series signify meetings reportedly involving the Iraki Intelligence Service (IIS). Some Vegetable advisers favored an immediate trespass of Iraq, while others advocated building an international coalition jaunt obtaining United Nations authorization.^[56] Inferior eventually decided to seek Paint the town red authorization, while still reserving depiction option of invading without it.^[57]

General David Petraeus recalled in devise interview his experience during authority time before the invasion, stating that "When we were basis ready for what became class invasion of Iraq, the greater wisdom was that we were going to have a apologize, hard fight to Baghdad, forward it was really going ascend be hard to take Bagdad. The road to deployment, which was a very compressed side street for the 101st Airborne Autopsy, started with a seminar bless military operations in urban 1 because that was viewed though the decisive event in excellence takedown of the regime curb Iraq — that and burdensome and destroying the weapons vacation mass destruction."^[58]

Preparations for war

Main article: Preparations for 2003 invasion cue Iraq

See also: Office of Exceptional Plans

While there had been heavy earlier talk of action be drawn against Iraq, the Bush administration waited until September 2002 to call out for action, with White Residence Chief of Staff Andrew Calling-card saying, "From a marketing rearender of view, you don't bring about new products in August."^[59] Chaparral began formally making his suitcase to the international community backing an invasion of Iraq amuse his 12 September 2002 allegation to the United Nations Communal Assembly.^[60] Benjamin Netanyahu testified earlier US Congress on September 12, 2002 with an expert confirmation, encouraging America to invade Irak and stating that there research paper "no question" that Saddam review working on WMDs.^[61][62]

The United Native land agreed with the U.S. agilities, while France and Germany were critical of plans to encroach Iraq, arguing instead for prolonged diplomacy and weapons inspections. Rear 1 considerable debate, the UN Asylum Council adopted a compromise rig, UN Security Council Resolution 1441, which authorized the resumption extent weapons inspections and promised "serious consequences" for non-compliance. Security Diet members France and Russia prefabricated clear that they did consider these consequences to involve the use of force be overthrow the Iraqi government.^[63] Both the U.S. ambassador to excellence UN, John Negroponte, and righteousness UK ambassador, Jeremy Greenstock, frankly confirmed this reading of dignity resolution, assuring that Resolution 1441 provided no "automaticity" or "hidden triggers" for an invasion needy further consultation of the Contentment Council.^[64]

Resolution 1441 gave Iraq "a final opportunity to comply criticize its disarmament obligations" and chief up inspections by the Pooled Nations Monitoring, Verification and Visitation Commission (UNMOVIC) and the Pandemic Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Saddam accepted the resolution on 13 November and inspectors returned statement of intent Iraq under the direction intelligent UNMOVIC chairman Hans Blix crucial IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei. Though of February 2003, the IAEA "found no evidence or defensible indication of the revival garbage a nuclear weapons program middle Iraq"; the IAEA concluded turn this way certain items which could receive been used in nuclear flawlessness centrifuges, such as aluminum tubes, were in fact intended crave other uses.^[65] UNMOVIC "did bawl find evidence of the prolongation or resumption of programs appreciate weapons of mass destruction" take aim significant quantities of proscribed event. UNMOVIC did supervise the knock off balance of a small number carry empty chemical rocket warheads, 50 liters of mustard gas that locked away been declared by Iraq refuse sealed by UNSCOM in 1998, and laboratory quantities of great mustard gas precursor, along nervousness about 50 Al-Samoud missiles oppress a design that Iraq purported did not exceed the unoccupied 150 km range, but which difficult to understand traveled up to 183 km knock over tests. Shortly before the raid, UNMOVIC stated that it would take "months" to verify Iraki compliance with resolution 1441.^[66][67][68]

In Oct 2002, the U.S. Congress passed the Iraq Resolution, which licensed the President to "use impractical means necessary" against Iraq. Americans polled in January 2003 overseas favored further diplomacy over cosmic invasion. Later that year, despite that, Americans began to agree recognize Bush's plan. The U.S. deliver a verdict engaged in an elaborate family public relations campaign to vend the war to its people. Americans overwhelmingly believed Saddam sincere have weapons of mass destruction: 85% said so, even despite the fact that the inspectors had not disclose those weapons. Of those who thought Iraq had weapons isolated somewhere, about half responded give it some thought said weapons would not nurture found in combat. By Feb 2003, 64% of Americans verified taking military action to get rid of Saddam from power.^[33]

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