Iraqi War
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| Iraqi War | |
|---|---|
 Technical Sergeant John L. Houghton, Jr., United States Air Force · Public domain · source | |
| Name | Iraqi War |
| Date | 2003–2011 (major combat) and 2011–present (insurgency and conflict) |
| Place | Iraq, Kuwait, Persian Gulf |
| Result | Toppling of Ba'ath Party regime; Coalition Provisional Authority occupation; emergence of sectarian insurgency and civil conflict; eventual struggle against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
| Combatant1 | United States Armed Forces, United Kingdom Armed Forces, Australia, Poland, Spain (initial coalition components) |
| Combatant2 | Ba'athist Iraq, Iraqi insurgents, Ansar al-Islam, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
| Commander1 | George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Myers, John Abizaid |
| Commander2 | Saddam Hussein, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Qusay Hussein |
| Casualties1 | Coalition military casualties: thousands killed, tens of thousands wounded |
| Casualties2 | Ba'athist and insurgent casualties: many thousands killed |
| Casualties3 | Civilian casualties: hundreds of thousands dead, millions displaced |
Iraqi War
The Iraqi War began with the 2003 invasion led by the United States and United Kingdom aimed at toppling the Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein and locating alleged Weapons of mass destruction programs. The initial combat phase saw rapid decisive operations and regime collapse, followed by an extended insurgency, sectarian conflict and the rise of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The war reshaped regional alignments involving Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and international institutions such as the United Nations Security Council.
Background
The prelude included the 1991 Gulf War aftermath, United Nations Security Council sanctions, UNMOVIC inspections and the 1998 Operation Desert Fox. Regional tensions involved disputes with Kuwait and the legacy of the Anfal campaign under Saddam Hussein. Debates in the United States Congress and among NATO members over intervention, weapons inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency and intelligence from agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency shaped policy. Political advocacy from figures including George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and Tony Blair led to the formation of a multinational coalition that invoked UNSCR 1441 in public justifications.
Belligerents and Participants
The invading coalition centered on United States Armed Forces and United Kingdom Armed Forces, with contributions from Australia Defence Force, Poland, Spain (initially) and other partners forming the Multinational Force in Iraq. Opposing parties included Ba'athist Iraq leadership such as Saddam Hussein and his inner circle, elements of the Iraqi Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard, plus post-invasion insurgent formations like Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Ansar al-Islam, Sunni Arab tribal groups, Shi'a militias including Mahdi Army loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr, and Kurdish Peshmerga forces associated with the Kurdistan Regional Government. Regional state actors such as Iran and Syria influenced militias and political dynamics, while international organizations like the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross engaged in humanitarian responses.
Course of the War
The invasion began with Operation Iraqi Freedom major combat operations, including the Battle of Basra, Battle of Nasiriyah, Battle of Baghdad and seizure of Baghdad International Airport. Following the fall of Baghdad and capture of Saddam Hussein in 2003, occupation transitioned to the Coalition Provisional Authority led by Paul Bremer. A growing insurgency targeted coalition forces and rebuilding efforts; suicide bombings and urban warfare escalated in Fallujah and Ramadi, producing major operations such as the Second Battle of Fallujah. Sectarian violence peaked during the 2006–2007 sectarian conflict involving Mahdi Army and Sunni insurgents, prompting the 2007 troop surge under George W. Bush and the Anbar Awakening supported by the United States Marine Corps. From 2011 a drawdown of coalition troops occurred, followed by resurgence as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant captured Mosul and declared a caliphate in 2014, prompting a new international campaign including Operation Inherent Resolve.
Humanitarian Impact and Casualties
Civilian casualties and displacement were severe: urban sieges, suicide attacks and sectarian massacres produced high death tolls and injuries documented by organizations including World Health Organization, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Iraq Body Count. Infrastructure damage affected water, electricity and hospitals in Baghdad, Mosul and Basra with long-term public health consequences addressed in studies led by Lancet authors and humanitarian NGOs like Médecins Sans Frontières. Displacement created refugee flows to Jordan, Syria and within Iraq to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, straining host communities and prompting international relief coordination through UNHCR and International Organization for Migration.
Political and Governance Changes
The overthrow of Saddam Hussein ended Ba'athist rule and led to de-Ba'athification policies enacted by the Coalition Provisional Authority with directives from Paul Bremer. A new political order emerged through elections organized by the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq and constitutional processes resulting in the 2005 Constitution, formation of governments led by figures like Nouri al-Maliki and power-sharing pacts among Shi'a, Sunni and Kurdish blocs including the Iraqi National Alliance and Kurdistan Democratic Party. Federalism debates involved the Kurdistan Regional Government and disputed territories such as Kirkuk, while transitional justice issues included trials at the Iraqi Special Tribunal and the execution of Saddam Hussein.
Military Technology and Tactics
The conflict showcased use of precision munitions, networked intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance from platforms including MQ-1 Predator and AH-64 Apache helicopters, and counterinsurgency doctrine influenced by FM 3-24 Counterinsurgency (US Army Field Manual). Insurgents employed improvised explosive devices (IEDs), suicide vehicle-borne IEDs, and small-unit urban ambushes; militias used asymmetric tactics and chemical agents in isolated incidents attributed to remnants of Ba'athist Iraq. Private military contractors from firms such as Blackwater USA operated alongside regular forces, prompting debates over rules of engagement and contractor liability.
International Law and Controversies
The legality of the invasion was contested at the United Nations Security Council with debates over UNSCR 1441 and the need for a new mandate; leading legal scholars and institutions including International Court of Justice commentators examined issues of jus ad bellum and jus in bello. Controversies included allegations of torture at Abu Ghraib prison and detention policies at Guantanamo Bay, scrutiny by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and questions about civilian protection under the Geneva Conventions. War crimes allegations, interrogation policies and intelligence failures fueled inquiries in parliaments such as the Iraq Inquiry (also known as the Chilcot Inquiry) and congressional hearings in the United States Congress.