The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 was one of the most controversial military interventions in modern history. The decision to invade Iraq was based on faulty intelligence and a misguided belief that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The aftermath of the invasion was catastrophic, with thousands of lives lost, a destabilized region, and the rise of extremist groups such as ISIS, all funded by U.S taxpayers to further enrich "Injustice Incorporated".
21 March 2023 | Imran Siddiqui | Justice News | Washington D.C.
20 years after the Iraq Invasion. Ask yourself, why did they do it?
The invasion of Iraq began on March 20, 2003, with the U.S. military launching a massive bombing campaign against the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. The campaign was designed to weaken the Iraqi government and create chaos in the country. U.S. troops quickly took control of Baghdad, and Saddam Hussein went into hiding. As George Bush, Saddam's prolific hater said, it was a " Shock And Awe" military campaign.
The U.S. government's primary justification for the invasion was that Iraq possessed WMDs, which posed a threat to the security of the United States and its allies. However, after the invasion, no evidence of WMDs was found, and the justification for the invasion was proven to be false. The U.S. government's decision to invade Iraq based on faulty intelligence was a major failure of the intelligence community and the political leadership of the United States.
The aftermath of the invasion was even more disastrous. The U.S. military was unable to stabilize Iraq, and a violent insurgency erupted. The insurgency was led by Sunni Muslims, who had lost their power and privileges in the new government led by the Shiite majority. The insurgency was also fueled by the widespread perception that the U.S. military was an occupying force and that Iraqis were being mistreated and humiliated by American troops.
The insurgency was marked by suicide bombings, kidnappings, and attacks on U.S. military personnel and Iraqi civilians. The U.S. military responded with force, leading to a cycle of violence that left thousands of people dead. The insurgency also gave rise to extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda in Iraq, which later became the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The U.S. invasion of Iraq also had a destabilizing effect on the region. The invasion led to a power vacuum in Iraq, which allowed extremist groups to gain a foothold. The instability in Iraq also spilled over into neighboring countries, with the Syrian civil war being a direct result of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
The U.S. invasion of Iraq was a catastrophic failure that resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and property, pointless damage to the land, the destabilization of the region, and the rise of extremist groups such as ISIS. The invasion was established on false intelligence and a misguided impression that Iraq possessed WMDs. The result of this invasion was a violent insurgency that left thousands of people dead and a destabilized region that is still feeling the effects today.
There is no doubt the U.S. invasion of Iraq was a disastrous decision that has long-lasting and far-reaching consequences. The lessons learned from this experience should be heeded, and future military interventions should be carefully considered to avoid similar deadly and costly mistakes. The United States and the international community must work together to promote stability and security in the region, and to address the underlying causes of conflict and instability. But instead, its self-proclaimed rivals, China and Russia, are now leading that global diplomacy and taking the center stage in Geopolitics.
How many lives have been lost due to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003?
Estimating the exact number of lives lost due to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 is difficult, and there are varying estimates. However, most estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of people have died as a direct result of the invasion, with many more suffering displacement, injury, and trauma.
According to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, published in the Lancet medical journal in 2006, an estimated 655,000 Iraqis died as a result of the U.S. invasion and subsequent violence up to mid-2006. However, this study has been criticized for its methodology and its findings remain controversial.
Other estimates put the number of Iraqi deaths at a much lower figure. For example, Iraq Body Count, a project that tracks civilian deaths in Iraq, estimates that between 182,000 and 208,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the invasion. Imagine if this occurred in any of the U.S. states.
In addition to the Iraqi deaths, thousands of U.S. and coalition soldiers also lost their lives during the conflict. According to the Department of Defense, 4,488 U.S. military personnel were killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2014. Other coalition countries also suffered casualties, including the United Kingdom, which lost 179 military personnel. The U.S. troops are still there.
Regardless of the exact number of lives lost, from 1 to millions, the U.S. invasion of Iraq was a tragic and costly event that had devastating consequences for Iraq and the region. The lessons learned from this experience should be taken seriously, and future military interventions should be carefully considered or completely avoided as a matter of state policy that desires peace and stability within and outside regions.
Who is held responsible for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003?
The responsibility for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 can be attributed to several individuals and institutions. Here are some of the key players who are commonly seen as responsible -
President George W. Bush: As the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. armed forces at the time, Bush played a crucial role in making the decision to invade Iraq. He was heavily involved in the planning and execution of the invasion and provided the public justification for the war.
Vice President Dick Cheney: Cheney was a key advocate for the invasion of Iraq and played a significant role in shaping the Bush administration's foreign policy. He pushed the idea that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and was involved in the planning of the invasion.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: As the head of the Department of Defense, Rumsfeld played a key role in the planning and execution of the invasion. He was a strong proponent of the war and believed that it would be a quick and easy victory.
National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice: Rice was a key member of the Bush administration's foreign policy team and played a significant role in making the case for the invasion of Iraq. She presented the administration's case to the United Nations and the American public.
Intelligence agencies: The U.S. intelligence congregation provided faulty intelligence that suggested Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. The intelligence community's failure to accurately assess the situation in Iraq played a significant role in the decision to invade.
Congress: While the decision to go to war ultimately rested with the President, Congress played a role in authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution was passed by Congress in 2002, which gave the President the authority to use military force against Iraq.
In reality, the decision to invade Iraq in 2003 was made by a group of individuals and institutions within the U.S. government.
The responsibility for the war can be attributed to a combination of faulty intelligence, poor decision-making, and a lack of effective oversight. The disastrous consequences of the war serve as a reminder of the importance of careful and considered decision-making when it comes to matters of war and foreign policy.
Were there any weapons of mass destruction discovered in Iraq after the 2003 U.S. invasion?
No weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) were discovered in Iraq after the 2003 U.S. invasion. The primary justification used by the U.S. government for the invasion was the belief that Iraq possessed WMDs, which could pose a threat to the U.S. and its allies. However, after the invasion, no evidence of WMDs was found in Iraq. In 2004, the Iraq Survey Group, a team of U.S. and British experts tasked with searching for WMDs in Iraq, concluded that Iraq had dismantled its WMD program in the 1990s and did not possess any significant stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons at the time of the invasion.
This finding was later confirmed by other independent investigations, including the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which conducted a review of pre-war intelligence on Iraq in 2008. The committee concluded that the intelligence community's assessments of Iraq's WMD capabilities were flawed and that there was no evidence to support the claim that Iraq possessed an active WMD program at the time of the invasion.
The failure to find WMDs in Iraq after the invasion was a significant blow to the credibility of the U.S. government and its justification for the war. It also had significant political consequences, as it fueled public skepticism and opposition to the war. The video released by WikiLeaks titled "Collateral Murder" shows footage from a US military Apache helicopter in which the crew engages and kills a group of individuals, including two Reuters journalists, in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2007. The video includes audio recordings of the helicopter crew discussing the individuals on the ground, and their actions leading up to the engagement. The footage sparked controversy and raised questions about the rules of engagement and the conduct of US military operations in Iraq.
The release of the video and other classified materials by WikiLeaks has been a subject of debate, with some arguing that it represents an important act of whistleblowing, while others have criticized the release as endangering national security and the lives of US military personnel, but with no evidence to back it.
What was the role of the oil and gas companies in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003?
There has been a lot of speculation about the role of oil and gas companies in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Some have suggested that the war was driven by a desire to gain control of Iraq's vast oil reserves and to ensure that they remained under U.S. control.
While it is difficult to prove definitively whether or not oil and gas companies played a direct role in the decision to invade Iraq, there is evidence to suggest that they had a significant interest in Iraq's oil reserves and may have influenced the policy decisions of the U.S. government.
For example, before the invasion of Iraq, oil and gas companies such as Chevron, BP, and ExxonMobil met with Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force to discuss U.S. energy policy. The task force included executives from major oil and gas companies and was tasked with developing a national energy policy that would promote the interests of the U.S. energy industry.
In addition, after the invasion, there were reports of oil companies such as ExxonMobil and Chevron lobbying the U.S. government to ensure that they would be given access to Iraq's oil reserves. While it is impossible to say with certainty how much of a role oil and gas companies played in the decision to invade Iraq, it is clear that they had a significant interest in Iraq's oil reserves and may have influenced U.S. energy policy in the region. The question of whether the war was driven by a desire for oil remains a subject of debate, controversy, and discussion.
Who benefitted the most from the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003?
The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 had significant consequences for a wide range of actors, including the U.S. government, the Iraqi people, and the broader international community. Here are some of the key groups that benefited the most from the war -
Military contractors: The U.S. government hired a large number of private military contractors to provide services in Iraq, including security, logistics, and reconstruction. These companies, such as Blackwater and Halliburton, made billions of dollars from the war.
The U.S. military-industrial complex: The war led to a significant increase in U.S. military spending and created new markets for weapons and other military technologies. This benefited companies such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon.
Iraqi Kurds: The Kurds, who had long been marginalized and oppressed under Saddam Hussein's regime, were able to establish a semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq after the fall of Saddam. This allowed them to develop their own economy, political institutions, and cultural identity.
Iranian government: The removal of Saddam Hussein's regime, which had been a major regional rival of Iran, allowed Iran to increase its influence in Iraq and the broader Middle East.
Terrorist groups: The power vacuum created by the war provided an opportunity for extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda and later ISIS to gain a foothold in Iraq.
It is important to note that while some groups may have benefited from the war, the overall impact of the invasion on Iraq and the region has been overwhelmingly negative.
The war resulted in the loss of countless lives, widespread destruction, and ongoing instability in the region with no clear path forward.
Who lost the most after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003?
The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 had devastating consequences for a wide range of groups, including the Iraqi people, the U.S. military, and the international community. Here are some of the groups that lost the most after the invasion -
The Iraqi people: The war resulted in the deaths of an estimated 150,000 to 600,000 Iraqis, and millions more were displaced or injured. The war also led to the destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water treatment facilities, leading to ongoing humanitarian crises.
The U.S. military: The war resulted in the deaths of over 4,400 U.S. soldiers and the injury of tens of thousands more. The war also had significant financial costs, with estimates suggesting that the U.S. spent over $2 trillion on the war effort.
The international community: The invasion of Iraq was widely criticized by other countries and international organizations, who argued that it violated international law and threatened global stability. The war also led to increased anti-American sentiment around the world.
The reputation of the U.S. government: The failure to find weapons of mass destruction, which was the primary justification for the invasion, damaged the credibility of the U.S. government and fueled accusations of dishonesty and manipulation.
Iraq's cultural heritage: The war led to the looting and destruction of many of Iraq's cultural treasures, gold, and silver, including ancient artifacts and historic buildings.
The Iraq war had significant and ongoing negative consequences for the people of Iraq, the U.S., and the wider international community, yet not many in the United States government seem to be learning from these costly mistakes, making them inevitable to repeat again. It's just a matter of when.
| Imran Siddiqui is the managing editor at Justice News and the author of The JBlog. Imran's podcast FairPlay Challenging Wrongful Convictions airs on J107Justice Radio