In March of 2003, President George W. Bush announced to the people of the United States that a military mission of coalition forces was on the ground in Iraq. The central driving force for the invasion of Iraq hung on the idea that Saddam Hussein was holding and building weapons of mass distruction in Iraq. President Bush began this campaign to free the people of Iraq and "defend the world from grave danger". Coalition forces were able to topple the rule of Saddam Hussein in a matter of three weeks. While the reception of this military action in Iraq and around the world was mixed at the time, it can now be seen fifteen years later that the ramifications have been beyond what initially could have been imagined, particularly in regards to the Syrian civil war. Follow the timeline of events from 2003 up to 2011 with this quick facts sheet.
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Posted by Amanda Homce, Government Information, Maps, and Microform Services spring 2018 Intern