Preparations for the 2003 invasion of Iraq

On March 18, US President George W. Bush had set a deadline for the ruler of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, and his two sons, Uday and Qusay, to leave the country or face military action.The lack of a post-invasion security plan allowed widespread looting and the violent insurgency that immediately followed the invasion."[3] Political preparation for war began in earnest during the period of weapons inspections in Iraq over the winter of 2002–2003, carried out by a team led by Hans Blix with the authority of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441.Under pressure from his Secretary of State, Colin Powell, and his main ally, the UK, President Bush decided to try to obtain UN backing for an invasion.Critics saw it as an unrealistic ultimatum designed to provide the U.S. with a cause for war, and it met considerable opposition in the security council, with opponents including the permanent members France, China, and Germany.

Iraq WarOutlineTimelineInvasion (2003)Umm QasrAl Faw1st BasraNasiriyahRaid on KarbalaHaditha Dam1st NajafNorthern DelayViking HammerSamawah1st KarbalaAl KutHillahKarbala GapDebecka PassBaghdadPost-invasion insurgency (2003–2006)Al AnbarKilling of Qusay & Uday Hussein1st RamadanLatifiyaCapture of Saddam HusseinSpring 2004City HallIron Saber1st FallujahSadr City1st RamadiGood FridayHusaybahDanny Boy2nd NajafCIMIC-HouseSamarra2nd FallujahLake ThartharAl Qa'imHadithaSteel CurtainTal Afar2nd RamadiTogether ForwardDiwaniyaCivil war (2006–2008)2nd RamadanSinbadAmarahDiyalaHaifa StreetKarbala Raid3rd NajafImposing LawU.K. basesBlack EagleBaghdad beltsAlljahBaqubahDonkey IslandShurta NasirPhantom Strike2nd KarbalaPhantom PhoenixInsurgency (2008–2011)2008 Day of AshuraNinevehSpring 20082nd Basra2008 al-Qaeda OffensiveAugurs of ProsperityAbu KamalPalm GroveCamp AshrafUS withdrawal violenceList of bombings during the Iraq War1st Baghdad2nd Baghdad3rd Baghdad1st Nasiriyah‡ 1st Erbil‡ Ashoura1st Mosul4th Baghdad5th BaghdadKarbala & Najaf1st BaqubahSuwaira bombing‡ 1st Al Hillah2nd Erbil‡ Musayyib6th Baghdad‡ 7th Baghdad1st BaladKhanaqin‡ Karbala-Ramadi1st Samarra8th Baghdad9th Baghdad‡ 10th Baghdad11th Baghdad12th Baghdad‡ 13th Baghdad14th Baghdad15th Baghdad‡ 2nd Al Hillah‡ 1st Tal Afar16th Baghdad17th Baghdad2nd & 3rd Karbala2nd Mosul‡ 18th BaghdadMakhmourAbu Sayda2nd Samarra19th Baghdad‡ Amirli1st Kirkuk20th Baghdad21st Baghdad§ Qahtaniya22nd Baghdad2nd Balad23rd Baghdad4th Karbala24th BaghdadKarmah2nd BaqubahDujailBalad Ruz25th Baghdad26th BaghdadBaghdad-Muqdadiyah27th Baghdad2nd Kirkuk2nd Tal Afar‡ 28th Baghdad‡ 29th Baghdad‡ 30th Baghdad31st Baghdad32nd Baghdad3rd Baqubah33rd Baghdad34th Baghdad35th Baghdad‡ 1st Pan-Iraq36th Baghdad37th Baghdad2nd Pan-Iraq38th Baghdad39th Baghdad‡ 40th Baghdad41st Baghdad‡ 3rd Pan-IraqKarbala-Baghdad42nd BaghdadTikrit3rd Al Hillah3rd SamarraAl Diwaniyah4th Pan-Iraq43rd Baghdad44th Baghdad45th Baghdad2003 invasion of IraqGeorge W. BushSaddam HusseinlootinginsurgencySpecial Inspector General for Iraq ReconstructionUK Minister of DefenceGeoff HoonHans BlixUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1441PortugalColin PowellTony BlairJosé María AznarJosé Manuel BarrosoAzoresweapons of mass destructionPalestiniansuicide bombersIraq disarmament crisisUnited Nations actions regarding IraqSupport and opposition for the U.S. plan to invade IraqIraq disarmament crisis timeline 1990-19961997–20002001–2003Iraqi production and use of weapons of mass destructionWorldwide government positions on war on IraqAmerican Journalism ReviewIraqi conflictPrelude17 July RevolutionIranian Revolution1979 Ba'ath Party PurgeIran–Iraq War