Iraq War

The Iraq War began with the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and continued through the withdrawal of U.S. forces in December 2011. It toppled Saddam Hussein’s government and led to years of insurgency and sectarian violence.

2003 invasion of Iraq: The U.S.-led military operation that invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein’s government in March and April 2003. This opening campaign began the war and rapidly removed the Iraqi government.
Iraq disarmament crisis: The dispute over Iraq’s compliance with United Nations disarmament obligations after the 1991 Gulf War. Arguments about prohibited weapons and inspections framed the case for invasion.
George W. Bush: The 43rd president of the United States, who authorized the 2003 invasion of Iraq. His administration made the decision to invade and directed the occupation.
Iraq War casualties: The deaths and injuries among civilians, Iraqi security forces, and coalition personnel during the Iraq War. Casualty estimates show the conflict’s immense and uneven human cost.
Gulf War: The 1990–1991 conflict in which a U.S.-led coalition expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Unlike the Iraq War, it aimed to reverse Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait rather than overthrow its government.
Coalition Provisional Authority: The U.S.-led authority that governed Iraq from April 2003 until the transfer of sovereignty in June 2004. Its occupation policies shaped Iraq’s institutions and fueled opposition.
Iraq and weapons of mass destruction: Iraq’s former chemical and biological weapons programs and the disputed claims about its capabilities before the 2003 invasion. The failure to find active stockpiles undermined a central public rationale for war.
Saddam Hussein: The president of Iraq from 1979 until his government was overthrown in 2003. His rule was ended by the invasion, and his capture and execution marked major wartime events.
De-Baathification: The policy of removing members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party from public institutions after the 2003 invasion. Its broad implementation weakened state capacity and alienated many Iraqis.
Iraq War (2013–2017): The Iraqi conflict against the Islamic State, which captured territory beginning in 2014 and lost its last major Iraqi stronghold in 2017. This later war is distinct from the 2003–2011 conflict, though it emerged from its aftermath.

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