The report chronicles the second war between the United States and Iraq in 2003, which began on March 20th at 5:40 AM (Golf time) with the first US missiles targeting strategic Baghdad objectives where Saddam Hussein was believed to be meeting with his military staff according to the CIA. The Anglo-American troops soon occupied the Iraqi-Kuwait border, and hundreds of military vehicles moved into the desert heading towards northern cities such as Basra, Nasiriyah, Diwaniyah, Najaf, Karbala, among others, until reaching Baghdad on April 5th.
This conflict marked a significant shift from the 1991 Gulf War, with the absence of a UN Security Council resolution supporting the use of force against Iraq. Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation at the UN in February 2003 accused Iraq of connections to international terrorism without evidence, and despite calls for disarmament through Resolution 1441, the UN Security Council opposed military action. This led to widespread protests globally, with over 10 million people marching in various cities across five continents.
The neoconservative obsession with invading Iraq originated before the 1991 Gulf War, especially after the September 11 attacks. This was evident in reports from the Project for a New American Century and the Baker Institute, and the US State Department's National Security Strategy in 2002. The inclusion of Iraq in "the Axis of Evil" by President Bush further solidified this stance. On March 16th, Bush convened with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar, issuing an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein. Without prior declaration of war, a unilateral decision led to the commencement of the conflict on March 20th, which was illegal according to the opposition in Iraq.
Following the war, the US-led occupation facilitated the growth of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, with Ayman al-Zawahiri justifying terrorist attacks like those in Madrid (March 11, 2004) and London (July 7, 2005). The occupation also resulted in the destruction of the state, characterized by the lack of reconstruction, the removal of public order forces, and shortages of teachers and medical personnel that fueled insurgency and sectarian confrontations. It also contributed to the looting of cultural heritage.
The war demonstrated that while powerful militaries can easily win conventional battles, they struggle with the aftermath and occupation, particularly when privatization becomes prevalent. By May 1st, 2003, President Bush declared an end to combat operations, despite US troop losses of 428. In 2011, when the last US troops withdrew from the country, the total number of US casualties reached 4,489. The impact of the Iraq War extended beyond its borders, destabilizing the Middle East and affecting neighboring countries and Europe.
