Iraq War (2003–2011)

Iraq War (2003–2011)
Name	Iraq War (2003–2011)
Caption	Baghdad skyline during the Fall of Baghdad in April 2003
Date	March 20, 2003 – December 18, 2011
Place	Iraq, Kuwait (logistics)
Result	Toppling of the Ba'ath Party, occupation by United States Department of Defense-led coalition, withdrawal of United States Armed Forces
Combatant1	United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland, South Korea (coalition)
Combatant2	Iraq, Ba'ath Party, Iraqi Republican Guard
Commander1	George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld
Commander2	Saddam Hussein, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Qusay Hussein

Iraq War (2003–2011) The Iraq War (2003–2011) was a multinational invasion and subsequent occupation initiated by the United States and coalition partners to overthrow the Ba'ath Party regime of Saddam Hussein and reshape Iraq's political order. The campaign combined rapid conventional operations, prolonged counterinsurgency, and major diplomatic disputes involving United Nations, NATO, and regional actors such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. The conflict produced profound regional consequences and sparked intense debates across United States presidential politics, United Kingdom politics, and international law circles.

Background and lead-up to the invasion

Debate over Iraq intensified after the September 11 attacks prompted the United States Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency to prioritize perceived threats from weapons of mass destruction, with assertions highlighted by figures including Colin Powell and Donald Rumsfeld to legislators such as the United States Congress and leaders such as Tony Blair. Prewar inspections by United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission and public statements from Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei clashed with intelligence assessments from the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, and British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), while diplomatic efforts at the United Nations Security Council produced resolutions and veto threats from France, Russia, and China. Regional tensions involved Iran, Turkey, and Syria, and international protest movements coincided with policy choices by the Bush administration that invoked doctrines debated in United States foreign policy and British foreign policy.

Invasion and initial combat operations (2003)

The invasion, launched on March 20, 2003, centered on a rapid advance from Kuwait into southern Iraq by forces under United States Central Command and included units from the United Kingdom Armed Forces, Australian Defence Force, and other coalition partners such as Poland and Denmark. Major operations included the Battle of Nasiriyah, the Battle of Basra (2003), and the swift advance that culminated in the Fall of Baghdad, featuring symbolic events at Al-Faw Palace and the toppling of statues of Saddam Hussein. Coalition airpower, including sorties by USAF and Royal Air Force, and armored thrusts by Iraq War (2003–2011)-era formations overwhelmed the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Republican Guard, while postinvasion planning by the Coalition Provisional Authority and officials like Paul Bremer shaped the early occupation.

Insurgency, sectarian violence, and occupation (2003–2007)

Following major combat, resistance emerged through groups such as former regime elements led by figures like Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Sunni insurgents, and emerging jihadist organizations including what became Al-Qaeda in Iraq under leaders like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, alongside Shiite militias such as the Mahdi Army led by Muqtada al-Sadr. Sectarian conflict escalated after incidents including the bombing of the Al-Askari Mosque and violence in neighborhoods of Baghdad, Mosul, and Fallujah, with major engagements such as the First Battle of Fallujah and Second Battle of Fallujah drawing in units from the United States Marine Corps and US Army. Reconstruction and governance efforts by the Coalition Provisional Authority confronted challenges related to de-Ba'athification policies, the dissolution of the Iraqi Army, and the creation of new security forces like the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, while international actors including the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and International Committee of the Red Cross addressed humanitarian crises.

Surge, counterinsurgency, and stabilization efforts (2007–2008)

In 2007 the Bush administration ordered a "surge" deploying additional United States Army and United States Marine Corps brigades under commanders including David Petraeus and Raymond Odierno, implementing counterinsurgency doctrine drawn from publications by the United States Army War College and advocates such as John Nagl. The surge coincided with the Sunni "Awakening" in provinces like Al Anbar Governorate, where tribal leaders allied with coalition forces against Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and with Shiite militia adjustments following negotiations involving Nouri al-Maliki's Iraqi government. Security improvements in Baghdad and provincial capitals, as measured by metrics used by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, combined with provincial reconstruction teams and economic programs backed by institutions such as the World Bank.

Withdrawal of U.S. forces and aftermath (2009–2011)

Following elections and agreements such as the U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (2008), the United States began phased drawdowns under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, finishing large-scale force withdrawal by December 2011 with final movements from bases like Camp Victory and Camp Liberty. Postwithdrawal security vacuums, political disputes involving Nouri al-Maliki and rival politicians like Ayad Allawi and Ibrahim al-Jaafari, and regional influence by Iran helped shape subsequent instability that contributed to the rise of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the 2014 Northern Iraq offensive (2014) that prompted renewed international intervention.

Impact and consequences (political, humanitarian, economic)

The conflict reshaped regional dynamics among Iran–Iraq relations, Turkey–Iraq relations, and Saudi Arabia–Iraq relations, influenced debates in United States presidential elections and United Kingdom general elections, and sparked inquiries such as the Iraq Inquiry (Chilcot Report). Humanitarian effects recorded by organizations like United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and World Health Organization included mass displacement, civilian casualties, and public health challenges in cities like Mosul and Basra. Economically, Iraq's oil sector involving entities such as the Iraqi National Oil Company and multinational corporations underwent reforms and disputes over contracts and revenue sharing with regions like Kurdistan Region (Iraq), while reconstruction contracts involving firms such as Halliburton and Bechtel became politically contentious. The war's legal and normative consequences influenced discussions at the International Criminal Court and among scholars at institutions like Harvard University and Oxford University concerning use of force, intelligence failures, and postconflict stabilization.

Category:Wars involving the United States Category:Wars involving the United Kingdom Category:2000s conflicts Category:21st-century conflicts