Module 2: Invasion

Invasion

The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 was initiated under the leadership of President George W. Bush, who framed the military action as part of a broader campaign to combat terrorism in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Bush, alongside his administration, labeled Iraq as part of an "Axis of Evil," which also included Iran and North Korea. This designation was based on the belief that these countries posed a threat to global security due to their suspected pursuit of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), including chemical, biological, and possibly nuclear weapons. The Bush administration argued that Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator, was actively developing these weapons, despite the lack of concrete evidence to support the claim. This narrative became a key justification for the invasion, even though weapons inspectors had found no active WMD programs in Iraq.

The military campaign began in March 2003 with a swift invasion aimed at toppling Hussein’s regime. The U.S.-led coalition forces quickly advanced toward Baghdad, and the city fell by April 9, 2003, marking the collapse of the Iraqi government. The fall of Baghdad was followed by scenes of jubilant Iraqis celebrating the removal of Saddam Hussein's brutal rule, with some even pulling down statues of the dictator in the streets. American forces and officials hoped that Iraq would be "greeted as liberators," but the subsequent occupation soon revealed the complexities of rebuilding the country and dealing with insurgent resistance, sectarian violence, and a deteriorating security situation.

In December 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces in a rural area near Tikrit, where he had been hiding in a spider hole. His arrest marked a symbolic end to the regime that had ruled Iraq for over two decades. Hussein was later put on trial by the new Iraqi government and convicted for crimes against humanity, including the mass killing of Kurds and Shiites. In December 2006, he was executed by hanging, an event that marked the final chapter of the Saddam Hussein era. Despite the removal of the dictator, Iraq’s stability remained elusive, with many arguing that the invasion's aftermath led to further instability in the Middle East, contributing to the rise of extremist groups like ISIS.