The Iraq War began in 2003 with the United States-led coalition’s invasion, which overthrew Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist government. The war was part of the George W. Bush administration’s broader “war on terror” following the September 11 attacks. In October 2002, the United States Congress passed a resolution authorizing military force against Iraq.
The primary rationale for the invasion presented by the U.S. was the belief that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and posed a significant threat to the U.S. and its allies. U.S. officials also accused Saddam Hussein of harboring and supporting al-Qaeda. However, subsequent investigations, including the 9/11 Commission Report in 2004, found no evidence of a relationship between Saddam’s regime and al-Qaeda, and no stockpiles of WMDs or active WMD programs were discovered in Iraq. Claims about WMDs and the Saddam–al-Qaeda relationship faced heavy criticism, and the invasion was deemed illegal under international law by then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The Chilcot Report, a British inquiry into the war, concluded that peaceful alternatives had not been exhausted and that the war was unnecessary.
The aftermath of the invasion included widespread civil war, a lengthy insurgency, and the displacement of millions. The war resulted in significant casualties and had profound effects on the domestic and international perception of the United States, as well as the politics of the United Kingdom.
