Slides in this set
· The Iraq war began on 20th March
· When coalition forces led by
the USA launched an attack
against Iraq, apparently
according to George W. Bush, it
was to `disarm Iraq and to free
its people'.…read more
The threat of war had been building up
for a long time before the attack was
· The first gulf war a decade earlier left
the authoritarian regime of Saddam
· Bush and his allies (the UK and
Australia) believed Saddam Hussein had
links with terrorists network (including
· Additionally, they believed that Saddam
Hussein stockpiled weapons of mass
destruction that presented a serious
threat to western countries.…read more
The war itself...
· It only lasted a few weeks.
· It began with a missile attack on Saddam Hussein's
· Soon after, coalition troops seized the Iraqi
oilfields in the north.
· There was continued precision bombing of Baghdad
by the coalition.
· Fierce fighting between troops of both sides in
the central and southern regions of Iraq.
· By 2nd April, Iraqi's elite force (the Republican
Guard) had been largely defeated.
· On 7th April, British troops attacked Basrah,
taking control two days later.
· In the north, American forces alongside local
Kurdish fighters seized the cities of Mosul and
Kirkuk. However, due to no local police force, the
cities shortly became chaotic and violence spread.…read more
By 4th April, allied troops had captured Saddam
International Airport in Baghdad.
· The next day, US bombers attacked government
buildings in Baghdad.
· A US infantry battalion drove through Baghdad
killing over 1000 Iraqis.
· American forces surrounded the Iraqi capital and
began their assault on 8th April.
· Iraqi government fell the next day and giant
structure of Saddam Hussein was torn down by local
· Most fighting gradually stopped and American
forces took control of the city.…read more
Lack of law and order...
· The lack of command led to
widespread violence and looting.
· The coalition troops were faced
with a huge task of restoring law
and order in Iraq, repairing the
damage, as well as ensuring that
the civilians received the
necessities, such as fresh water,
food and medical supplies.
· President Bush declared an end to
combat operations on 1st May.…read more