Operation Iraqi Freedom

The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that began in March 2003 and toppled Saddam Hussein’s government. It initiated a prolonged occupation and conflict that reshaped Iraqi politics and regional security.

2003 invasion of Iraq: The opening military campaign of the Iraq War, launched by U.S.-led forces in March 2003. This campaign was the operation’s central combat phase and ended with Baghdad’s capture.
Iraq disarmament crisis: The international dispute over Iraq’s weapons programs and compliance with United Nations disarmament demands after the Gulf War. This crisis provided the immediate diplomatic and legal background for the invasion.
George W. Bush: The 43rd president of the United States, serving from 2001 to 2009. Bush authorized the invasion and presented the case for war to the United States and its allies.
Iraq War: The conflict in Iraq that began with the 2003 invasion and continued through years of occupation, insurgency, and civil violence. The invasion opened the wider war that defined Iraq’s subsequent decade.
Iraq War and weapons of mass destruction: The controversy over claims that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 invasion. Postwar investigations found no active stockpiles of the kind cited as a central rationale.
Shock and awe: A military strategy that seeks rapid dominance through overwhelming force and disruption. The coalition used precision strikes and concentrated force to disorient Iraqi leadership.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441: A 2002 Security Council resolution giving Iraq a final opportunity to comply with disarmament obligations and warning of serious consequences. The U.S. and its allies cited the resolution while arguing Iraq had failed to comply.
Tony Blair: The British prime minister from 1997 to 2007. Blair committed British forces to the invasion and defended that decision politically.
Iraqi civil war (2006–2008): A period of intense sectarian conflict in Iraq, especially between Sunni and Shia armed groups, from 2006 to 2008. The post-invasion breakdown of security contributed to the conditions for this conflict.
Legality of the Iraq War: The dispute over whether the 2003 invasion complied with international law and the United Nations Charter. The coalition’s legal justification was contested because no new Security Council resolution explicitly authorized force.

Linked from 9 pages