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| IRAQ WAR IS CRAP. STUPID PRESIDENT. LEBRON JAMES IS AWESOME. YOUR MOM IS TOO. NOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOB | |||
| {{otheruses4|the war that began in 2003|other uses|Iraq war (disambiguation)}} | |||
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| {{Infobox Military Conflict | |||
| |conflict=Iraq War | |||
| |partof= | |||
| |image= ] | |||
| |caption= Clockwise, starting at top left: a joint patrol in ]; the toppling of the Saddam Hussein statue in ]; an ] soldier readies his rifle during an assault; an ] detonates in South ]. | |||
| |date= ], ] – present | |||
| |place= ] | |||
| |casus= War justifications: | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| |status= Conflict ongoing | |||
| *Occupation of Iraq | |||
| *Overthrow of ] government and ]. | |||
| *] with ], ] and ]<ref></ref><ref name=orbupdate /> | |||
| *] and outbreak of ].<ref>{{cite news|title=Sectarian divisions change Baghdad’s image |publisher=MSNBC |date=] |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13684759/ |accessdate=2007-02-18}}</ref> | |||
| *Widespread infrastructure damage<ref>{{cite news |author=Reid, Robert H.|title=America confronts reality in Iraq |publisher=MSNBC |date=] |url =http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14416495/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Annan: Life for Iraqis worse than with Saddam |publisher=MSNBC |date=] |url =http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16035086/}}</ref> | |||
| *Privatisation of Iraqi services | |||
| *] of a democratic ] | |||
| *] operations in Iraq.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=3879|title=U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, 2 Feb 2007, see "four wars" remark}}</ref> | |||
| |combatant1={{flagicon|Iraq|1991}} Baathist ]<br />] ]<br />]<br /> | |||
| ] ]<br />] ]<br />] | |||
| <br /> | |||
| ] | |||
| ---- | |||
| ] ] | |||
| |combatant2 = {{flagicon|United States}} ]<br /> {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} ]<br /> {{flagicon|Iraq}} ] <br> ] ]<br>] ] <br /> {{flagicon|Iraq}} ] | |||
| ---- | |||
| {{flagicon|Turkey}} ] | |||
| |commander1 = {{flagicon|Iraq|1991}} ]{{POW}}]<Br /> {{flagicon|Iraq}} ]<br />] ]<br /> ] ]<br />] ]{{KIA|alt=yes}}<Br /> ] ] | |||
| ---- | |||
| ] ] | |||
| |commander2 ={{flagicon|United States}} ]<br /> {{flagicon|United States}} ]<br /> {{flagicon|United States}} ]<br /> {{flagicon|United States}} ]<br />{{flagicon|United States}} ]<br /> {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} ]<br /> {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} ]<br /> {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} ]<br> {{flagicon|Iraq}} ] <br> {{flagicon|Kurdistan}} ] | |||
| ---- | |||
| ] ] | |||
| |strength1 = '''Iraqi''' (under Saddam Hussein): <br />375,000+ regular forces. {{Fact|date=March 2007}} | |||
| ---- | |||
| Post-Baathist government, multi-sided conflict:<br /> ''']'''<br />~70,000<ref name=brookings>The Brookings Institution ] ]</ref><br />''']'''<br />~60,000<ref>{{cite news |last=Nasrawi |first=Salah |coauthors=Katherine Shrader |title=Saudis reportedly funding insurgents |publisher=Seattle Times |date=] |url= http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/iraq/2003467318_iraqsaudi08.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ricks |first=Thomas E. |coauthors=Ann Scott Tyson |title=Intensified Combat on Streets Likely |publisher=Washington Post |date=] |url= http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/10/AR2007011002581_pf.html }}</ref> <br />''']/others'''<br />1,300+<ref>Pincus, Walter. . ''],'' November 17, 2006.</ref> | |||
| ---- | |||
| PKK: ~4,000<ref>] ] ]</ref> | |||
| |strength2=''']'''<br />~300,000 invasion<br />~177,000 current<br />''']'''<sup>*</sup><br />~182,000 (118,000 Iraqi, 43,000 Other, 21,000 US)<ref name=LATcontractors> . By T. Christian Miller. ''].'' July 4, 2007.</ref><ref name=contractorsguardian> . By Michelle Roberts. ''].'' Feb. 24, 2007.</ref> <br />''']'''<br />50,000 invasion<br />250,000 current<br />''']'''<br />180,000<br />''']'''<br />227,000<ref>Collins, C. (August 19, 2007) ''McClatchy Newspapers''</ref><br>] militias<br>65,000-80,000<ref></ref> | |||
| ---- | |||
| Turkish Armed Forces: ~3,000-10,000<ref name="Bendern">{{cite news |first=Paul de |last=Bendern |title=Turkey launches major land offensive into N.Iraq | url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUKL22614485._CH_.242020080222 |publisher=Reuters |date=2008-02-22 |accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref> | |||
| |casualties1='''Iraqi combatant dead''' (invasion period): 7,600-10,800<ref> . Project on Defense Alternatives Research Monograph #8. Carl Conetta. ], ].</ref><ref> . Project on Defense Alternatives. Press release October 20, 2003.</ref> | |||
| ---- | |||
| '''Insurgents dead''' (post-Saddam): 16,978-22,807 per ].<br/>19,429 per U.S. military (] ]) <ref name=insurgents> . By Jim Michaels. 26 Sept. 2007. ''].''</ref> | |||
| ''']s:''' 43,000<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/33208.html</ref> | |||
| ---- | |||
| ]: 412 killed (Turkish government claim)<br>9 killed (PKK claim) | |||
| |casualties2='''Iraqi Security Forces''' (post-Saddam, Coalition allies) Police/military killed: 10,554 ''See: ]'' | |||
| '''Coalition dead''' (4,061 US<ref></ref>, 176 UK, 133 other): 4,370<ref></ref><ref name=icasualties> iCasualties.org (was lunaville.org). Benicia, California. Patricia Kneisler, ''et al.'', .</ref><ref name=mil>Many official U.S. tables at . See . See also: .</ref> | |||
| '''Coalition missing or captured''' (US): 3<ref name=mil/> | |||
| '''Coalition ]:'''29,780 US, ~300 UK<ref name=mil/><ref name=antiwarcasualties> .</ref><ref name=ukcasualties> . UK Ministry of Defense. .</ref> | |||
| '''Coalition injured, diseased, or other medical:'''**28,645 US, 1,155 UK.<ref name=mil/><ref name=icasualties/><ref name=ukcasualties/> | |||
| '''Contractors dead''' (US 243): 1,026<ref name=contractors7> . By Bernd Debusmann. ''].'' July 3, 2007. 10,569 wounded and 933 deaths in Iraq. 224 are U.S. citizens.</ref><ref name=contractors1> . '']'' ], ].</ref><ref> . icasualties.org</ref> | |||
| '''Contractors ]''' (US 4): 18 | |||
| '''Contractors wounded & injured''': 10,569<ref name=contractors7/> | |||
| '''Awakening Councils''':<br/>450+ killed | |||
| ---- | |||
| ]:<br/>27 killed | |||
| |casualties3='''All Iraqi violent deaths, ].''' As of August 2007: '''1,033,000''' (946,000-1,120,000). Causes; gunshots (48%), car bombs (20%), aerial bombing (9%), accidents (6%), another blast/ordnance (6%). <ref name=orbupdate /> | |||
| '''***Total deaths (all excess deaths) ]''' - As of June 2006: '''654,965''' (392,979-942,636). 601,027 violent deaths (31% by Coalition, 24% by others, 46% unknown)<ref name="Second Lancet Study">{{PDFlink||242 ]<!-- application/pdf, 247920 bytes -->}}. By Gilbert Burnham, Riyadh Lafta, Shannon Doocy, and Les Roberts. ''],'' ], ]</ref><ref name="Lancet supplement">{{PDFlink||603 ]<!-- application/pdf, 617874 bytes -->}}. By Gilbert Burnham, Shannon Doocy, Elizabeth Dzeng, Riyadh Lafta, and Les Roberts. A supplement to the second Lancet study.</ref> | |||
| '''All Iraqi violent deaths. ]''' for the '''].''' As of June 2006: '''151,000''' (104,000 to 223,000).<ref name=nejm358/><ref name=WHOifhs/><ref name=bbcNewStudy/><ref name=guardianNewStudy/> | |||
| |notes= '''*'''] (U.S. government) perform "highly dangerous duties almost identical to those performed by many U.S. troops."<ref name=contractorsguardian /><br/>'''**''' "injured, diseased, or other medical" - required medical air transport. UK number includes wounded ("aeromed evacuations"). <ref name=mil/><ref name=icasualties/><ref name=ukcasualties/><br/>***'''Total deaths''' include all additional deaths due to increased lawlessness, degraded infrastructure, poorer healthcare, etc.<br/> For more on casualty estimates, see: ] | |||
| }} | |||
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| {{Campaignbox Iraq War}} | |||
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| {{Campaignbox Persian Gulf Wars}} | |||
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| {{Campaignbox War on Terrorism}} | |||
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| The '''Iraq War''' is an ] which began on ], ] with the ] of ] by a ] composed of ] and ] troops supported by smaller contingents from ], ], ], and other nations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2862343.stm|title=US Names Coalition of the Willing|accessdate=2007-11-03}}</ref>. The Iraq War is also known as '''Operation Iraqi Liberation'''<ref>]]</ref> and then '''Operation Iraqi Freedom'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mnf-iraq.com/|title=Operation Iraqi Freedom|accessdate=2007-08-02}}</ref> (U.S), ''']''' (''UK''),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/OperationsInIraqHistoryofthemilitarycampaigninIraq.htm|author=Ministry of Defence|title=Fact Sheets}}</ref> or the '''occupation of Iraq''',<ref>{{cite news|title=Saudi King Condemns U.S. Occupation of Iraq |publisher=New York Times |date=March 2007 |url =http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/world/middleeast/29saudicnd.html?ex=1332820800&en=da8a156f30f093ea&ei=5124&partner=digg&exprod=digg}}</ref> | |||
| Two main ] were offered by ] ] and coalition supporters: the allegation that Iraq was actively supporting and working with ], and that ] ] (WMD) in violation of a 1991 agreement.<ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021007-8.html | |||
| President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat]</ref><ref></ref> Both claims were supported by U.S. intelligence. | |||
| At the start of the war, U.S. officials argued that Iraq posed an imminent, urgent, and immediate threat to the United States, its people, allies, and interests.<ref>Center for American Progress (January 29, 2004) ''americanprogress.org''</ref><ref name=nelson /> The supporting ] was widely criticized,<ref>Close, R. (March 10, 2003) ''CounterPunch''</ref> and ] found no evidence of WMD.<ref name=blix /> After the invasion, the ] concluded that Iraq had ended its WMD programs in 1991 and had none at the time of the invasion, but that they intended to resume production if and when the ] were lifted.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/report/2004/isg-final-report/isg-final-report_vol1_rsi-06.htm|title = Iraq Survey Group Final Report: Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)}}</ref> Although some earlier degraded remnants of misplaced or abandoned WMD were found, they were not the weapons for which the coalition invaded.<ref>Shrader, K. (June 22, 2006) ''Associated Press''</ref> Some U.S. officials claimed ] had been cooperating,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/033jgqyi.asp|title=The Weekly Standard, Saddam's al Qaeda Connection}}</ref> but no evidence of any collaborative relationship has been found.<ref>Woods, K.M. and Lacey, J. (2008) ''Institute for Defense Analyses'' IDA Paper P-4287, pp. ES-1</ref><ref>Kerr, R.J., ''et al.'' (29 July 2004) MORI Doc. ID 1245667 (Langley, VA: Central Intelligence Agency)</ref> Other reasons for the invasion stated by officials included concerns over Iraq's financial support for the families of ] ]s,<ref>CNN (September 12, 2002) , "the White House released a report early Thursday, listing some of the principal accusations against Iraq and its leader.... Iraq is also accused of sheltering two Palestinian terrorist organizations, and it lists Saddam's decision in 2002 to increase from $10,000 to $25,000 the bounty paid to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers."</ref> Iraqi government ] abuses,<ref>Wolfowitz, P. (May 30, 2003) ''U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)'' news transcript</ref> spreading ],<ref> The White House, February 26, 2003</ref> and Iraq's ],<ref>Wright, G. (June 4, 2003) ''Guardian Unlimited'' (London: Guardian Newspapers Limited); this article , stating "Paul Wolfowitz said, 'The...difference between North Korea and Iraq is that we had virtually no economic options with Iraq because the country floats on a sea of oil. In the case of North Korea, the country is teetering on the edge of economic collapse and that I believe is a major point of leverage whereas the military picture with North Korea is very different from that with Iraq.'"</ref><ref>Morgan, D. and Ottaway, D.B. (September 15, 2002) ''Washington Post''</ref><ref>Shih, G. and Montes, S. (October 15, 2007) ''Stanford Daily''</ref><ref name=observer /> although the latter has been denied by other officials.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref> | |||
| The ] led to the quick defeat of the Iraqi military, the flight of President Saddam Hussein, his capture in December, 2003 and ] in December, 2006. The U.S.-led coalition ] and attempted to establish a new ] government. But shortly after the initial invasion, violence against coalition forces and among various sectarian groups led to ] with the ], ] between many ] and ] Iraqis, and ] ].<ref> , see "four wars" remark</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CBS on civil war|publisher=CBS News|url= http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/26/eveningnews/main886305.shtml |date=September 26 2006}}</ref> Estimates of the number of people killed range from over 150,000<ref name=nejm358/> to more than 1 million.<ref name=orbupdate /> The ] has been more than £4.5 billion ($9 billion) to the UK,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aZiloVkUJNrw&refer=uk |title=UK. Spending on War in Iraq, Afghanistan Rises to $16 Bln (December 2006) |publisher=Bloomberg |date=] |accessdate=2007-01-22}}</ref> and over $845 billion to the U.S., with the total cost to the U.S. economy estimated at $3 to 5 trillion.<ref></ref> Member nations of the Coalition began to withdraw their forces as public opinion favoring troop withdrawals increased and as Iraqi forces began to take responsibility for security.<ref> ''International Herald Tribune'', 2 October 2007.</ref><ref> ] ], ]</ref> | |||
| ==1991–2003: U.N. inspectors and the no-fly zones== | |||
| {{see also|Operation Northern Watch||Oil-for-Food Programme}} | |||
| Following the 1991 ], the ] mandated that ] be halted and all such weapons destroyed under ] control. ] were able to verify the destruction of a large amount of WMD-material, but substantial issues remained unresolved after they left Iraq in 1998 due to current UNSCOM head ]'s belief that U.S. and UK military action was imminent. Shortly after the inspectors withdrew, the U.S. and UK launched a four-day bombing campaign. | |||
| In addition to the inspection regimen, the U.S. and UK (along with ] until 1998) engaged in a low-level conflict with Iraq by enforcing northern and southern ]. These zones were ] to ] ] in the north and the ], and were seen by the Iraqi government as an infringement of Iraq's ]. Iraqi air-defense installations and American and British air patrols regularly exchanged fire during this 6 year period. | |||
| In April 2001, Bush's ] agreed to use military intervention in Iraq, because it was considered a destabilizing influence to the flow of ] to international markets from the Middle East.<ref>Mackay, N. (Oct 6, 2002) ''The Sunday Herald'' (Scotland)</ref> ]s in the U.S. called for the sell-off of all of Iraq's ]s and planned for a '']'' long before the September 11th attacks, hoping a new government would use, "Iraq's oil to destroy the ] cartel through massive increases in production above OPEC quotas." Those plans were abandoned shortly after the invasion because former ] CEO Philip Carroll, who had been charged with their implementation, refused to be involved with Iraqi oil industry ] since it could have led to the exclusion of U.S. firms,<ref>Beaumont, P. and Islam, F. (November 3, 2002) ''The Observer'' (London: Guardian Newspapers)</ref><ref>Palast, G. (October 24, 2005) ''Harper's Magazine''</ref> unlike the state-run oil ministry.<ref>Fortson, D. (7 January 2007) ''The Independent'' (London)</ref> U.S. oil industry consultant ] alleged that soon after Bush took office in 2001, he took part in secret meetings in Washington, the Middle East, and California involving an overthrow of the Iraq regime. Aljibury told BBC's ''Newsnight'' that he, "interviewed potential successors to Saddam Hussein on behalf of the Bush administration."<ref name=oilplans>Palast, G. (17 March 2005) ''BBC Newsnight''</ref> | |||
| Approximately one year before ], the U.S. initiated ] as a change to its response strategy, by increasing the overall number of missions and selecting targets throughout the no-fly zones in order to disrupt the military command structure in Iraq. The weight of bombs dropped on Iraq increased from none in March 2002 and 0.3 in April to between eight and 14 tons per month in May-August. The total reached a pre-war peak of 54.6 tons in September 2002. | |||
| ==2001–2003: Iraq disarmament crisis and pre-war intelligence== | |||
| {{see also|Rationale for the Iraq War|Public relations preparations for 2003 invasion of Iraq|Governments' pre-war positions on invasion of Iraq|Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda|10 Days to War}} | |||
| {{main|Iraq disarmament crisis timeline 2001-2003|2002 in Iraq}} | |||
| ===U.N. weapons inspections resume=== | |||
| The issue of ] in 2002-2003, when President Bush demanded a complete end to alleged Iraqi production of weapons of mass destruction and full compliance with UN Resolutions requiring UN weapons inspectors unfettered access to suspected weapons production facilities. Previously, the ] Iraq from developing or possessing such weapons after the Gulf War and required Iraq to permit inspections confirming compliance. | |||
| During 2002, Bush repeatedly backed demands for unfettered inspection and disarmament with threats of military force. In accordance with ] Iraq reluctantly agreed to ]. The results of these inspections were mixed, with no discovery of WMDs and skepticism of Iraqi WMD program declarations. | |||
| ===Alleged weapons of mass destruction=== | |||
| In the initial stages of the ], the ], under ], was rising to prominence as the lead agency in the ] war. But when Tenet insisted in his personal meetings with President Bush that there was no connection between Al Qaeda and Iraq, Vice-President ] and Secretary of Defense ] initiated a secret program to re-examine the evidence and marginalize the CIA and Tenet. The questionable intelligence acquired by this secret program was "]" to Cheney and presented to the public. In some cases, Cheney’s office would leak the intelligence to news correspondents, who would in turn cover it in such outlets such as '']''. Cheney would subsequently appear on the Sunday political television talk shows to discuss the intelligence, referencing ''The New York Times'' as the source to give it credence.<ref> PBS, aired June 20, 2006</ref> | |||
| ] | |||
| In late February 2002, the CIA sent former Ambassador ] to investigate ] about Iraq's attempted purchase of ] ] from ]. Wilson returned and informed the CIA that reports of yellowcake sales to Iraq were "unequivocally wrong." The Bush administration, however, continued to allege Iraq's attempts to obtain yellowcake were a justification for military action - most prominently in the January, 2003 State of the Union address when President Bush said that Iraq had sought uranium, citing British intelligence sources.<ref> ''Time'', July 13, 2003</ref> In response, Wilson wrote a critical ''The New York Times'' op-ed piece in June 2003 stating that he had personally investigated claims of yellowcake purchases and believed them to be fraudulent. Wilson's report did not clarify the matter for analysts, but they found it interesting that the former Nigerien Prime Minister said an Iraqi delegation had visited Niger for what he believed was to discuss uranium sales.<ref></ref> Shortly after Wilson's op-ed, the identity of Wilson's wife, undercover CIA analyst ], was revealed in a column by ]. Since it is ] Novak's column launched an investigation by the Justice Department into the source of the leak. In March, 2007, Dick Cheney’s Chief of Staff ] was convicted of perjury in the ] investigation. The source of the leak was found to be former deputy secretary of state ], who was never charged with the crime.<ref name="newsweek-ManWhoSaid">{{cite news | |||
| |first = Michael | |||
| |last = Isikoff | |||
| |url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14533384/site/newsweek/ | |||
| |title = The Man Who Said Too Much | |||
| |work = Newsweek National News | |||
| |publisher = MSNBC.com | |||
| |date = ] ] issue | |||
| |accessdate = 2007-01-27 | |||
| }}</ref> | |||
| On May 1, 2005 the "]" was published in '']''. It contained an overview of a secret ], ] meeting among UK Labour government, defense, and intelligence figures who discussed the build-up to the Iraq war — including direct references to classified U.S. policy of the time. The memo stated, "Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."<ref> ''The Sunday Times'', May 1, 2005</ref> | |||
| On September 18, 2002, George Tenet briefed Bush that Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction. Bush dismissed this top-secret intelligence from Saddam's inner circle which was approved by two senior CIA officers, but it turned out to be completely accurate. The information was never shared with Congress or even CIA agents examining whether Saddam had such weapons.<ref>Blumenthal, S. (September 6, 2007) ''Salon.com''</ref> The CIA had contacted Saddam Hussein's foreign minister, ], who was being paid by the French as an agent. Sabri informed them that Saddam had ambitions for a nuclear program but that it was not active, and that no biological weapons were being produced or stockpiled, although research was underway.<ref></ref> The U.S. obtained three subsequent human intelligence reports indicating that Saddam had authorized the use of chemical weapons in the event of war.<ref> and </ref> | |||
| In September 2002, the Bush administration said attempts by Iraq to acquire thousands of high-strength ] pointed to a clandestine program to make enriched uranium for nuclear bombs. Iraq was not permitted to import such tubes under the U.N. monitoring plan. <ref> "Iraq was prohibited from possessing tubes composed of 7075 T6 aluminum alloy with outer diameters exceeding 75mm under Annex III to United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 because of their potential use in gas centrifuges." </ref>This view was supported by the CIA and DIA but opposed by the ] (DOE) and INR which was significant because the DOE was the only department in the United States government that had expertise in gas centrifuges and nuclear weapons programs. All agencies believed the tubes could be used in a centrifuge program but the latter two argued that they were poorly suited to do so.<ref> </ref> An effort by the DOE to change Powell's comments before his UN appearance was rebuffed by the administration.<ref> ] ], ]</ref><ref> '']'' ] air date ], ]</ref> Indeed, ], in his address to the U.N. Security Council just prior to the war, made reference to the aluminum tubes. But a report released by the ] in 2002 reported that it was highly unlikely that the tubes could be used to enrich uranium. Powell later admitted he had presented an inaccurate case to the United Nations on Iraqi weapons, and the intelligence he was relying on was, in some cases, "deliberately misleading."<ref> Joby Warrick, ''The Washington Post'', Sept. 19, 2002</ref><ref> Feb 5, 2003</ref><ref> NBC, May 16, 2004</ref> | |||
| Between September, 2002 and June, 2003, Deputy Secretary of Defense ] created a Pentagon unit known as the ] (OSP), headed by ]. It was created to supply senior Bush administration officials with raw intelligence pertaining to Iraq, unvetted by intelligence analysts, and circumventing traditional intelligence gathering operations by the CIA. One former CIA officer described the OSP as dangerous for U.S. national security and a threat to world peace, and that it lied and manipulated intelligence to further its agenda of removing Saddam Hussein. He described it as a group of ideologues with pre-determined notions of truth and reality, taking bits of intelligence to support their agenda and ignoring anything contrary.<ref> ''Sunday Herald'', Neil Mackay, June 8, 2003</ref> Subsequently, in 2008, the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity has enumerated a total of 935 false statements made by George Bush and six other top members of his administration in a carefully launched campaign of misinformation during the two year period following 9-11, in order to rally support for the invasion of Iraq.<ref> ] Jan 23, 2008</ref><ref> Dan Froomkin, Jan 23, 2008</ref> | |||
| ===Authorization for the use of force=== | |||
| ] holding a model vial of ] while giving a presentation to the ]]] | |||
| In October, 2002, a few days before the ] voted on the ], about 75 senators were told in ] that Saddam Hussein had the means of attacking the eastern seaboard of the U.S. with biological or chemical weapons delivered by ]s (UAVs).<ref name=nelson>Senator ] (January 28, 2004) ''Congressional Record''</ref> On February 5, 2003, Colin Powell presented further evidence in his Iraqi WMD program presentation to the UN Security Council that UAVs were ready to be launched against the U.S. At the time, there was a vigorous dispute within the intelligence community as to whether CIA conclusions about Iraqi UAVs were accurate. The ] agency most familiar with UAVs, the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and the ] denied that Iraq possessed any offensive UAV capability, saying the few they had were designed and intended for surveillance. A majority of the U.S. intelligence committee agreed that the Iraqi UAVs were used only for ].<ref>Lowe, C. (December 16, 2003) ''Defense Tech''</ref> In fact, Iraq's UAV fleet was never deployed and consisted of a handful of outdated {{convert|24.5|ft|m|sing=on}} wingspan drones with no room for more than a camera and video recorder, and no offensive capability.<ref>Associated Press (August 24, 2003) ''CBS News''</ref><ref> </ref> Despite this controversy, the Senate voted to approve the Joint Resolution on ] ] providing the Bush Administration with ]. | |||
| Chief U.N. weapons inspector ] remarked in January ] that "Iraq appears not to have come to a genuine acceptance – not even today – of the disarmament, which was demanded of it and which it needs to carry out to win the confidence of the world and to live in peace."<ref name = "IraqWatch-20030127"> January 27, 2003</ref> Among other things he noted that 1,000 tons of chemical agent were unaccounted for, information on Iraq's VX nerve agent program was missing, and that "no convincing evidence" was presented for the destruction of 8,500 liters of anthrax that had been declared.<ref name = "IraqWatch-20030127"/> Secretary of State Collin Powell's presentation to the U.N. on February 3, 2003 was designed to influence U.N. members that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. After his presentation 71% of those who watched his presentation thought his case was persuasive, while 56% believed he had presented enough hard evidence to prove Iraq had weapons of mass destruction{{Fact|date=April 2008}}. France even believed that Saddam had stockpiles of anthrax and botulism toxin, and the ability to produce VX.<ref>''American Unbound: The Bush Revolution in Foreign Policy'' (Washington D.C., 2003), 159-61.</ref> But in March, Blix said no evidence of WMDs had been found, and progress had been made in inspections.<ref name=blix /> | |||
| In early 2003, the U.S., UK, and Spain proposed the so-called "eighteenth resolution" to give Iraq a deadline for compliance with previous resolutions enforced by the threat of military action. This proposed resolution was subsequently withdrawn due to lack of support on the U.N. Security Council. In particular, ] members France, ] and ] together with ], were opposed to military intervention in Iraq due to the high level of risk to the international community's security and defended disarmament through diplomacy.<ref> France Diplomatie ], ]</ref><ref> ] ], ]</ref> | |||
| ===Opposition to invasion=== | |||
| {{see|criticism of the Iraq War|legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq|legality of the Iraq War}} | |||
| On January 20, 2003, ] ] declared "we believe that military intervention would be the worst solution."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ambafrance-us.org/news/statmnts/2003/vilepin012003.asp |title=Press conference of Foreign affairs Minister Dominique de Villepin (excerpts) |accessdate=2007-02-13 |date=2003-01-20 |publisher=Embassy of France in the U.S.}}</ref> Meanwhile ] across the world organised public protests. According to French academic Dominique Reynié between the 3rd of January and 12th of April 2003, 36 million people across the globe took part in almost 3,000 protests against war in Iraq, the demonstrations on ] ] being the largest and most prolific.<ref name="Difference"> , Alex Callinicos, Socialist Worker, ] ].</ref> | |||
| In February, 2003, the U.S. Army's top general, ], told the Senate Armed Services Committee that it would take "several hundred thousand soldiers" to secure Iraq.<ref></ref> Two days later, Defense Secretary ] said the post-war troop commitment would be less than the number of troops required to win the war and, "the idea that it would take several hundred thousand U.S. forces is far from the mark." Deputy Defense Secretary ] said Shineski's estimate was "way off the mark," because other countries would take part in an occupying force.<ref></ref> | |||
| In March 2003, Hans Blix reported that, "No evidence of proscribed activities have so far been found," in Iraq, saying that progress was made in inspections which would continue.<ref name=blix>Blix, H. (March 7, 2003) ''CNN.com''</ref> But the U.S. government announced that "diplomacy has failed" and that it would proceed with a coalition of allied countries, named the "coalition of the willing", to rid Iraq of its alleged weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. government abruptly advised U.N. weapons inspectors to immediately pull out of ]. | |||
| There were also serious ] surrounding the launching of the war against Iraq and the ] of ]. On ], ] ], the Secretary General of the United Nations, said of the invasion, "I have indicated it was not in conformity with the U.N. charter. From our point of view, from the charter point of view, it was illegal."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3661134.stm |title=Iraq war illegal, says Annan |accessdate=2007-02-17 |date=] |publisher='']''}}</ref> | |||
| ==2003: Invasion== | |||
| {{main|2003 in Iraq|2003 Iraq war timeline|List of people associated with the 2003 invasion of Iraq}} | |||
| {{See also|Coalition military operations of the Iraq War|Iraq War order of battle}} | |||
| At 5:34 AM Baghdad time on ] ] (9:34 PM, ] EST) the Iraq Invasion began.<ref>"Operation Iraqi Freedom" http://www.globalsecurity.org</ref> The ], led by General ], began under the U.S. codename "Operation Iraqi Freedom", the UK codename ], and the Australian codename ]. Coalition forces also cooperated with Kurdish ] forces in the north. Approximately forty other nations, the "]," participated by providing equipment, services, security, and special forces. The initial coalition military forces were roughly 300,000, of which 98% were U.S. and UK troops.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geocities.com/jdejoannis/Coalition/|title=geocities.com/jdejoannis/Coalition/<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref>{{Fact|date=March 2008}} | |||
| ] | |||
| The invasion consisted of eight military objectives. Each one follows from key points laid out in President Bush’s National Security Strategy. The objectives were to end Saddam Hussein’s regime, identify, isolate and eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, search, capture and drive out terrorists, obtain intelligence related to terrorist networks, accumulate intelligence that is related to the illicit network of weapons of mass destruction, end sanctions and distribute humanitarian aid to those in need, secure Iraq’s oil fields and other resources, and to assist the Iraqi people in transitioning to a representative government. Operation Iraqi Freedom was the largest special operations force since Vietnam in the North. THe Operation, codenamed "Ugly Baby", was also the largest ground fighting the Special Operations Forces have encountered since Vietnam. They found a chemical weapons plant along with intelligence of Al Qaeda officials, especially Zarqawi.<ref>Masters of Chaos</ref> It was a quick and decisive operation encountering little resistance.<ref>"Operation Iraqi Freedom" http://www.globalsecurity.org/</ref> The Iraqi Army was quickly overwhelmed with only the elite ] putting up strong resistance before melting away into the civilian population. On ] Baghdad fell, ending Saddam's 24-year rule. U.S. forces seized the deserted ] ministries and helped tear down a huge iron statue of Saddam, photos and video of which became symbolic of the event. The abrupt fall of Baghdad was accompanied by massive civil disorder, including the looting of government buildings and drastically increased crime, prompting Donald Rumsfeld's now notorious remark that "]".<ref>Collier, R. (April 9, 2003) ''San Francisco Chronicle''</ref><ref></ref>The invasion phase concluded when ], Saddam's home town, fell with little resistance to the Marines of ] and on ] the coalition declared the invasion effectively over. | |||
| In the invasion phase of the war (]-]), 9,200 Iraqi combatants were killed along with 7,299 ], primarily by U.S. air and ground forces.<ref>Conetta, C. (20 October 2003) Research Monograph no. 8 ''Project on Defense Alternatives''</ref> Coalition forces reported the death in combat of 139 U.S. military personnel<ref>Reuters. .''].'' Oct. 25, 2005.</ref> and 33 UK military personnel. <ref> March 20, 2003 through through May 1, 2003 (end of major combat) ''iCasualties.org''</ref> | |||
| ===Coalition Provisional Authority and Iraq Survey Group=== | |||
| {{see also|Iraqi Governing Council|International Advisory and Monitoring Board|Coalition Provisional Authority Program Review Board|l3=CPA Program Review Board|Development Fund for Iraq|Reconstruction of Iraq}} | |||
| Shortly after the invasion, the multinational coalition created the ] (CPA) سلطة الائتلاف الموحدة, based in the ], as a ] of Iraq until the establishment of a democratic government. Citing ] (] ]) and the ], the CPA vested itself with ], ], and ] authority over the Iraqi government from the period of the CPA's inception on ], ], until its dissolution on ], ]. | |||
| The CPA was originally headed by ], a former U.S. military officer, but his appointment lasted only until ], ]. After Garner resigned, President Bush appointed ] as the head the CPA and he served until the CPA's dissolution in July 2004. | |||
| Another group created in the spring of 2003 was the ] (ISG; its final report is commonly called the .). This was a fact-finding mission sent by the ] after the ] to find ]. It consisted of a 1,400-member international team organised by the Pentagon and ] to hunt for suspected stockpiles of WMD, such as chemical and biological agents, and any supporting research programmes and infrastructure that could be used to develop WMD. In 2004 the ] stated that Iraq did not have a viable WMD program. | |||
| ===Post-invasion phase=== | |||
| ] returning to port carrying its ''Mission Accomplished'' banner]] | |||
| {{main|Post-invasion Iraq, 2003–2006}} | |||
| {{see|U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqis|Terrorist attacks of the Iraq War}} | |||
| On ], ], President Bush staged a dramatic visit to the ] ] operating a few miles west of ]. The visit climaxed at sunset with Bush's now well-known "]" speech. In this nationally-televised speech, delivered before the ] and ] on the ], Bush effectively declared victory due to the defeat of Iraq's conventional forces. However, ] remained at large and significant pockets of resistance remained. | |||
| After President Bush's speech, coalition forces noticed a gradually increasing flurry of attacks on its troops in various regions, especially in the "]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Operation Iraqi Freedom Maps |publisher=GlobalSecurity.Org |date=Unavailable |url= http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraqi_freedom-ops-maps.htm }}</ref> In the initial chaos after the fall of the Iraqi government, there was massive looting of infrastructure, including government buildings, official residences, museums, banks, and military depots. According to The Pentagon, 250,000 tons (of 650,000 tons total) of ordnance was looted, providing a significant source of ammunition for the ]. The insurgents were further helped by hundreds of weapons caches created prior to the invasion by the conventional Iraqi army and ]. | |||
| ].]] | |||
| Initially, Iraqi resistance (known to the coalition as "Anti-Iraqi Forces") largely stemmed from ] and Saddam/] loyalists, but soon religious radicals and Iraqis angered by the occupation contributed to the insurgency. The three provinces with the highest number of attacks were ], ], and ]. Those three provinces account for 35% of the population, but are responsible for 73% of U.S. military deaths (as of ], ]), and an even higher percentage of recent U.S. military deaths (about 80%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://icasualties.org/oif/Province.aspx|title=icasualties.org/oif/Province.aspx<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref> Insurgents use ] including; mortars, missiles, ]s, ], ]s (IEDs), car bombs, small arms fire (usually with ]s), and RPGs (]s), as well as sabotage against the oil, water, and electrical infrastructure. | |||
| ] coalition efforts commenced after the fall of the Hussein regime. The coalition nations, together with the United Nations, began to work to establish a stable ] state capable of defending itself,<ref name=Soriano>{{cite news|title=Poll: Iraqis out of patience |publisher=USA Today |date=] |url= http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/1/13/232154.shtml }}</ref> holding itself together<ref>{{cite news|title=Gloom descends on Iraqi leaders as civil war looms|author=Reuters |url= http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=49603 }}</ref> as well as overcoming insurgent attacks and internal divisions. | |||
| Meanwhile, coalition military forces launched several operations around the ] River peninsula and in the ]. A series of similar operations were launched throughout the summer in the Sunni Triangle. Toward the end of 2003, the intensity and pace of insurgent attacks began to increase. A sharp surge in guerrilla attacks ushered in an insurgent effort that was termed the "]", as it coincided with the beginning of the Muslim holy month of ]. To counter this offensive, coalition forces begin to use air power and artillery again for the first time since the end of the invasion by striking suspected ambush sites and mortar launching positions. Surveillance of major routes, patrols, and raids on suspected insurgents were stepped up. In addition, two villages, including Saddam’s birthplace of al-Auja and the small town of ] were wrapped in barbed wire and carefully monitored. | |||
| However, the failure to restore basic services to pre-war levels, where over a decade of sanctions, bombing, corruption, and decaying infrastructure had left major cities barely functioning, contributed to local anger at the IPA government headed by an executive council. On ], ], President Bush declared that American troops would remain in Iraq in spite of the attacks, challenging the insurgents with "My answer is, bring 'em on," a widely criticized line which Bush later expressed misgivings about.<ref>{{cite news|url =http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/1/13/232154.shtml |title=President Regrets 'Bring 'Em On' |publisher=NewsMax.com Wires |date=] |accessdate=2006-09-01}}</ref> In the summer of 2003, the multinational forces also focused on ] of the former regime. On ], a raid by the U.S. ] and soldiers from ] killed Saddam Hussein's sons (] and ]) along with one of his grandsons. In all, over 300 top leaders of the former regime were killed or captured, as well as numerous lesser functionaries and military personnel. | |||
| ===Saddam Hussein captured=== | |||
| {{see also|Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal|Trial of Saddam Hussein}} | |||
| ] | |||
| In the wave of intelligence information fueling the raids on remaining Baath Party members connected to insurgency, Saddam Hussein himself was captured on ], ] on a farm near Tikrit in ].<ref>{{cite news|title=Pentagon: Saddam is POW |publisher=CNN |date=January 2004 |url= http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/01/09/sprj.nirq.saddam/ }}</ref> The operation was conducted by the ]'s ] and members of ]. | |||
| Saddam was captured in a hole below a two-room mud shack. When he was captured only a Styrofoam square and a rug were between Saddam and U.S. forces. Major General Raymond Odierno commented, “he was caught like a rat.” Intelligence on Saddam’s whereabouts came from information obtained from his family members and former bodyguards.<ref>"Saddam 'Caught Like a Rat' in a Hole" http://www.cnn.com</ref> | |||
| With the capture of Saddam and a drop in the number of insurgent attacks, some concluded the multinational forces were prevailing in the fight against the insurgency. The provisional government began training the New Iraqi Security forces intended to defend the country, and the United States promised over $20 billion in reconstruction money in the form of credit against Iraq's future oil revenues. Oil revenue was also used for rebuilding schools and for work on the electrical and refining infrastructure. | |||
| Shortly after the capture of Saddam, elements left out of the ] began to agitate for elections and the formation of an ]. Most prominent among these was the ] cleric ]. The Coalition Provisional Authority opposed allowing democratic elections at this time, preferring instead to eventually hand-over power to the ].<ref>(''The Guardian'', ], ], , last visited November 21, 2006)</ref> Due to the internal fight for power in the new Iraqi government more insurgents stepped up their activities. The two most turbulent centers were the area around Fallujah and the poor Shia sections of cities from Baghdad (]) to Basra in the south. | |||
| ==2004: The insurgency expands== | |||
| {{main|2004 in Iraq}} | |||
| :''See also: ] for a list of all Coalition operations for this period, ], ], ], ], ] | |||
| The start of 2004 was marked by a relative lull in violence. Insurgent forces reorganised during this time, studying the multinational forces' tactics and planning a renewed offensive. However, violence did increase during the ] with foreign fighters from around the Middle East as well as ] (an affiliated ] group), led by ] helping to drive the insurgency. | |||
| As the insurgency grew there was a distinct change in targeting from the coalition forces towards the new Iraqi Security Forces, as hundreds of Iraqi civilians and police were killed over the next few months in a series of massive bombings. An organized Sunni insurgency, with deep roots and both nationalist and Islamist motivations, was becoming more powerful throughout Iraq. The Shia ] also began launching attacks on coalition targets in an attempt to seize control from Iraqi security forces. The southern and central portions of Iraq were beginning to erupt in urban guerrilla combat as multinational forces attempted to keep control and prepared for a counteroffensive. | |||
| ] director ] signs over sovereignty to the appointed ], ] ].]] | |||
| The most serious fighting of the war so far began on ], 2004, when ] in ] ambushed a ] convoy led by four American ]s who were providing security for food caterers ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/contractors/highrisk.html|title=PBS.org}}</ref> The four armed contractors, ], Jerko Zovko, Wesley Batalona, and Michael Teague, were killed with grenades and small arms fire. Subsequently, their bodies were dragged from their vehicles, beaten, set ablaze, and their burned corpses hung over a bridge crossing the ].<ref> - CNN.com</ref> | |||
| Photos of the event were released to ] worldwide, causing a great deal of indignation and ] in the United States, and prompting an unsuccessful "pacification" of the city: the ] in April 2004. | |||
| The offensive was resumed in November, 2004 in the bloodiest battle of the war so far: the ], described by the U.S. military as "the heaviest ] (that they had been involved in) since the ] in ]."<ref>, ''DefenseLINK News''</ref> Intelligence briefings given prior to battle reported that Coalition forces would encounter Chechnyan, Filipino, Saudi, Iranian, Italian, and Syrian combatants, as well as native Iraqis.<ref name="bellavia">Bellavia, David & Bruning, John. ''House to House: An Epic Memoir of War'' Free Press. (2007) ISBN-10: 1-4165-7471-9.</ref> During the assault, U.S. forces used ] as an incendiary weapon against insurgent personnel, attracting controversy. The 46-day battle resulted in a victory for the coalition, with 95 Americans killed along with approximately 1,350 insurgents. Fallujah was totally devastated during the fighting, though civilian casualties were low, as they had mostly been evacuated before the fight.<ref>Thomas Ricks (2006) ''Fiasco'': 398-405</ref> | |||
| Another major event of this year was the revelation of prisoner abuse at ] which received international media attention in April 2004. First reports of ], as well as graphic pictures showing American military personnel taunting and abusing Iraqi prisoners, came to public attention from a '']'' news report (]) and a ] article in the '']'' (posted online on ]).<ref>Hersh, S. (May 10, 2004) ''The New Yorker''</ref> ], an author who has studied the war, claimed that these revelations dealt a blow to the moral justifications for the occupation in the eyes of some Iraqis and was a turning point in the war.<ref>Thomas E. Ricks (2006) ''Fiasco, The American Military Adventure In Iraq''. Penguin</ref> | |||
| ==2005: Elections and transitional government== | |||
| {{main|2005 in Iraq}} | |||
| On ], Iraqis ] the ] in order to draft a permanent constitution. Although some violence and widespread Sunni boycott marred the event, most of the eligible Kurd and Shia populace participated. On ], ] announced that 15,000 U.S. troops whose tours of duty had been extended in order to provide election security would be pulled out of Iraq by the next month.<ref>{{cite news |title = U.S. to pull out 15,000 from Iraq |publisher = BBC News |date = ] |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4235787.stm }}</ref> February to April proved to be relatively peaceful months compared to the carnage of November and January, with insurgent attacks averaging 30 a day from the prior average of 70. | |||
| Hopes for a quick end to an insurgency and a withdrawal of U.S. troops were dashed in May, Iraq's bloodiest month since the invasion. Suicide bombers, believed to be mainly disheartened Iraqi Sunni Arabs, Syrians and Saudis, tore through Iraq. Their targets were often Shia gatherings or civilian concentrations mainly of Shias. As a result, over 700 Iraqi civilians died in that month, as well as 79 U.S. soldiers. | |||
| The summer of 2005 saw fighting around Baghdad and at ] in northwestern Iraq as US forces tried to seal off the Syrian border. This led to fighting in the autumn in the small towns of the Euphrates valley between the capital and the that border <ref name = "Ricks-2006">Thomas Ricks (2006) ''Fiasco'': 413</ref>. | |||
| A constitutional referendum was held in October and a national assembly was elected in December <ref name = "Ricks-2006"/>. | |||
| Insurgent attacks increased in 2005 with 34,131 recorded incidents, compared to a total 26,496 for the previous year <ref>Thomas Ricks (2006) ''Fiasco'': 414</ref>. | |||
| == 2006: Civil war and permanent Iraqi government == | |||
| {{main|2006 in Iraq|Civil war in Iraq}} | |||
| ] | |||
| The beginning of 2006 was marked by government creation talks, growing sectarian violence, and continuous anti-coalition attacks. Sectarian violence expanded to a new level of intensity following the ] in the Iraqi city of Samarra, on February 22, 2006. The explosion at the mosque, one of the holiest sites in Shi'a Islam, is believed to have been caused by a bomb planted by Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Although no injuries occurred in the blast, the mosque was severely damaged and the bombing resulted in violence over the following days. Over 100 dead bodies with bullet holes were found on February 23, and at least 165 people are thought to have been killed. In the aftermath of this attack the US military calculated that the average homicide rate in Baghdad tripled from 11 to 33 deaths per day. The ] has since described the environment in Iraq as a "civil war-like situation."<ref>{{cite news |title = Decrying violence in Iraq, UN envoy urges national dialogue, international support |publisher = UN News Centre |date = ] |url = http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=20726&Cr=Iraq&Cr1= }}</ref> A ] by the ] has estimated that more than 601,000 Iraqis have died in violence since the U.S. invasion and that fewer than one third of these deaths came at the hands of ].<ref>{{cite web |url =http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/2006/burnham_iraq_2006.html |title=Updated Iraq Survey Affirms Earlier Mortality Estimates |publisher=Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health |date=] |accessdate 2006-12-25}}</ref> The ] and the ] estimate that more than 365,000 Iraqis have been displaced since the bombing of the ], bringing the total number of Iraqi ]s to more than 1.6 million.<ref>{{cite web |url =http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/452fa9954.html |title=UNHCR worried about effect of dire security situation on Iraq's displaced |publisher=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |date=] |accessdate=2006-12-25 }}</ref> | |||
| The current government of Iraq took office on ], ] following approval by the ] of the ]. This followed the ]. The government succeeded the ] which had continued in office in a ] until the formation of the permanent government. | |||
| ===Increased sectarian violence=== | |||
| In September 2006, ''The Washington Post'' reported that the commander of the Marine forces in Iraq filed "an unusual secret report" concluding that the prospects for securing the Anbar province are dim, and that there is almost nothing the U.S. military can do to improve the political and social situation there.<ref>{{cite news |last = Ricks |first = Thomas E. |title = Situation Called Dire in West Iraq |publisher = Washington Post |date = ] |url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/10/AR2006091001204.html }}</ref> | |||
| Iraq was listed fourth on the 2006 ] compiled by the American '']'' magazine and the ] think-tank. The list was topped by ].<ref>{{cite news |title = Sudan tops 'failed states index' |publisher = BBC News |date = ] |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4964444.stm }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = The Failed States Index Rankings |publisher = Foreign Policy |date=July/August 2005 |url = http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3100 }}</ref> | |||
| As of ] the U.S military announced that ] had failed to stem the tide of violence in Baghdad, and Shiite militants under al-Sadr seized several southern Iraq cities.<ref> {{cite news |title = Shiite militia briefly seizes Iraqi city |publisher = MSNBC |date = ] |url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15343811/ }} </ref> | |||
| ===U.S. congressional elections and expanding violence=== | |||
| {{see also|23 November 2006 Sadr City bombings}} | |||
| On ], ], ] removed the ] from control of both chambers of the ]. The failings in the Iraq War were cited as one of the main causes of the Republicans' defeat, even though the Bush administration had attempted to distance itself from its earlier "stay the course" rhetoric.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301053.html |title=Bush's New Tack Steers Clear of 'Stay the Course' |author=Peter Baker |publisher='']'' |date=]}}</ref> | |||
| On ], the deadliest attack since the beginning of the Iraq war occurred. Suspected Sunni-Arab militants used five suicide car bombs and two mortar rounds on the capital's Shiite Sadr City slum to kill at least 215 people and wound 257. Shiite mortar teams quickly retaliated, firing 10 shells at Sunni Islam's most important shrine in Baghdad, badly damaging the Abu Hanifa mosque and killing one person. Eight more rounds slammed down near the offices of the Association of Muslim Scholars, the top Sunni Muslim organisation in Iraq, setting nearby houses on fire. Two other mortar barrages on Sunni neighborhoods in west Baghdad killed nine and wounded 21, police said.<ref> {{cite news |title= Bombs, mortars in Shiite slum kill at least 161 |publisher = MSNBC |date = ] |url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15866123/ }}</ref> | |||
| On ], another Marine Corps intelligence report was released confirming the previous report on Anbar stating that, "U.S. and Iraqi troops 'are no longer capable of militarily defeating the insurgency in al-Anbar,' and 'nearly all government institutions from the village to provincial levels have disintegrated or have been thoroughly corrupted and infiltrated by Al Qaeda in Iraq.'"<ref> {{cite news |title= Anbar Picture Grows Clearer, and Bleaker |publisher = Washington Post |date = ] |url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/27/AR2006112701287.html }}</ref> | |||
| ===Iraq Study Group report and Saddam’s execution=== | |||
| {{main|Iraq Study Group|Execution of Saddam Hussein}} | |||
| The ] was released on ], ]. The bipartisan ] was led by former secretary of state ] and former Democratic congressman ], and concludes that "the situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating" and "U.S. forces seem to be caught in a mission that has no foreseeable end." The report's 79 recommendations include increasing diplomatic measures with ] and ] and intensifying efforts to train Iraqi troops. On ], a Pentagon report found that attacks on Americans and Iraqis were averaging about 960 a week, the highest since the reports had begun in 2005.<ref> {{cite news |title= Attacks in Iraq at All-Time High, Pentagon Report Says |publisher = PBS |date = ] |url = http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/july-dec06/iraq_12-19.html }}</ref> | |||
| Coalition forces formally transferred control of a province to the Iraqi government, the first since the war. Military prosecutors charged 8 Marines with the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in ] in November 2005, 10 of them women and children. Four officers were also charged with ] in relation to the event.<ref> {{cite news |title= 8 Marines Charged With 24 Iraqi Slayings |publisher = FOX |date = ] |url = http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Dec22/0,4670,MarinesHaditha,00.html }}</ref> | |||
| ] on ], ] after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by an Iraqi court, after a year-long trial.<ref> {{cite news |title= Saddam Hussein executed in Iraq |publisher = BBC |date = ] |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6218485.stm }}</ref> | |||
| ==2007: U.S. troop surge== | |||
| {{see|2007 in Iraq|Iraq War troop surge of 2007}} | |||
| In a ], ] televised address to the American public, Bush proposed 21,500 more troops for Iraq, a job programme for Iraqis, more reconstruction proposals, and $1.2 billion for these programmes.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070110-7.html |title=President's Address to the Nation |date=01-10-2007 |publisher=The White House}}</ref> Asked why he thought his plan would work this time, Bush said: "Because it has to."<ref>{{cite news|title=The Struggle for Iraq; Bush Adding 20,000 U.S. Troops; Sets Goal of Securing Baghdad|url= http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E5D71230F932A25752C0A9619C8B6|author=David E. Sanger|date=], ]|publisher=New York Times}} “He put it far more bluntly when leaders of Congress visited the White House earlier on Wednesday. ‘I said to Maliki this has to work or you’re out,’ the president told the Congressional leaders, according to two officials who were in the room. Pressed on why he thought this strategy would succeed where previous efforts had failed, Mr. Bush shot back: ‘Because it has to.’”</ref> On ], ] in the ], Bush announced "deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq." On ], ] ] was made commander of ] (MNF-I), the four-star post that oversees all U.S. forces in the country, replacing General ]. In his new position, Petraeus has overseen all coalition forces in Iraq and employed them in the new ] outlined by the Bush administration.<ref>{{cite news | |||
| |first=John | |||
| |last=Holusha | |||
| |title=Petraeus Calls Iraq Situation Dire | |||
| |publisher=] | |||
| |date=] ]}} | |||
| </ref> | |||
| <ref> | |||
| {{cite news | |||
| |first=Michael | |||
| |last=Gordon | |||
| |title=Bush to Name a New General to Oversee Iraq | |||
| |work=The New York Times | |||
| |date=] ]}} | |||
| </ref>. 2007 also saw a sharp increase in insurgent ]. | |||
| . ]. "Prepared by: ]. Statistical Information Analysis Division."</ref>]] | |||
| However, maintaining higher troop levels in the face of higher casualties required two changes in the army. Tours of duty were increased and the ]. A defense department sponsored report described increased length of tours leading to higher stress which increase manifestations of anger and disrespect for civilians.<ref>Harben, J. (May 4, 2007) press release ''US Army Medical Command''</ref> Statistics released in April indicated that more and more soldiers have been deserting their duty, a sharp rise from the years before.<ref>Associated Press (April 10, 2007) ''FOXNews.com''</ref> | |||
| ]s on patrol around ]]] | |||
| Pressures on U.S. troops were compounded by the continuing withdrawal of British forces from the ]. In early 2007, ] ] announced that following ] UK troops would begin to withdraw from Basra, handing security over to the Iraqis.<ref> BBC NEWS ] ], </ref> This announcement was confirmed in the Autumn by Prime Minister ], Blair's successor, who again outlined a withdrawal plan for the remaining UK forces with a complete withdrawal date sometime in late 2008.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mark Deen |coauthors=Robert Hutton |title= Major Says Brown Playing Politics With Iraq, UK. Election|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a47f0v06F47s&refer=home |publisher=] |date=October 2, 2007 |accessdate=2007-10-14 }}</ref> In July Danish Prime Minister ] also announced the withdrawal of 441 Danish troops from Iraq, leaving only a unit of nine soldiers manning four observational helicopters.<ref>] ENGLISH, ], ], </ref> | |||
| ====Planned troop reduction==== | |||
| In a speech made to Congress on September 10, 2007, General David Petraeus "envisioned the withdrawal of roughly 30,000 U.S. troops by next summer, beginning with a Marine contingent ." <ref>Flaherty, A. (September 10, 2007) ''Associated Press''</ref> On September 14, President Bush backed a limited withdrawal of troops from Iraq.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bush pledges Iraq troop reduction|publisher=BBC News|date=2007-09-14|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6993721.stm|accessdate=2007-09-14}}</ref> Bush said 5,700 personnel would be home by Christmas 2007, and expected thousands more to return by July 2008. The plan would take troop numbers back to their level before the surge at the beginning of 2007. Some controversy has arisen due to the fact that former secretary of state ] announced before the surge took place that there would have to be a draw down of troops by mid-2007.<ref>{{cite news |last=DeYoung |first=Karen |title=Powell Says U.S. Losing in Iraq, Calls for Drawdown by Mid-2007 |publisher= The Washington Post |date= |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121700494_pf.html |accessdate=2007-03-02}}</ref> | |||
| ===Effects of the surge on security=== | |||
| ] with insurgents in the ] section of Baghdad ] ]]] | |||
| By mid-March 2007, violence in Baghdad was reported by US sources close to the military as having been curtailed by 80%;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://strategypage.com/militaryforums/35-45583.aspx|title=strategypage.com/militaryforums/35-45583.aspx<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref> however, independent reports<ref> ] ] ]</ref><ref> ] ] ]</ref> have raised questions about such assessments. An Iraqi military spokesman claims that civilian deaths since the start of the troop surge plan were 265 in Baghdad, down from 1,440 in the four previous weeks. The ''New York Times'' has found more than 450 Iraqi civilians were killed during the same 28-day period, based on initial daily reports from Interior Ministry and hospital officials. Historically, the daily counts tallied by the ''NYT'' have underestimated the total death toll by 50% or more when compared to studies by the United Nations, which rely upon figures from the Iraqi Health Ministry and morgue figures.<ref> . By Damien Cave - The '']''. ] ]. ''].'' </ref> | |||
| Also, the rate of American combat deaths in Baghdad over the first seven weeks of the "surge" security escalation has nearly doubled from the previous period to a rate of 3.14/day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/world/middleeast/09surge.html|title=nytimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icasualties.org/oif/SumDetails.aspx?hndRef=6|title=icasualties.org}}</ref> | |||
| ] | |||
| Despite a massive security crackdown in Baghdad associated with the surge in coalition troop strength, the monthly death toll in Iraq rose 15% in March. 1,869 Iraqi civilians were killed and 2,719 were wounded in March, compared to 1,646 killed and 2,701 wounded in February. In March, 165 Iraqi policemen were killed against 131 the previous month, while 44 Iraqi soldiers died compared to 29 in February. US military deaths in March were nearly double those of the Iraqi army, despite US claims that Iraqi forces led the security crackdown in Baghdad. The death toll among insurgent militants fell to 481 in March, compared to 586 killed in February; however, the number of arrests jumped to 5,664 in March against 1,921 in February.<ref>Faraj, S. (], ]) , Baghdad: Agence France-Presse</ref><ref>Agence France-Presse (], ]) </ref> | |||
| Three months after the start of the surge, troops controlled less than a third of the capital, far short of the initial goal, according to an internal military assessment completed in May 2007. Violence was especially chronic in mixed Shiite-Sunni neighborhoods in western Baghdad. Improvements had not yet been widespread or lasting across Baghdad.<ref>Cloud, D.S. and Cave, D. (] ]) ''New York Times'' accessed ] ]</ref> | |||
| On ] ] the ] occurred. Nearly 800 civilians were killed by a series of co-ordinated suicide bomb attacks on the northern Iraqi settlement of ]. More than 100 homes and shops were destroyed in the blasts. US officials blamed ]. The targeted villagers belong to the non-Muslim ] ethnic minority. The attack may represent the latest spasm in a blood feud that erupted earlier this year when members of the Yazidi community stoned to death a teenage girl called ] accused of dating a Sunni Arab man and converting to Islam. The killing of the girl was recorded on camera-mobiles and the video was uploaded onto the internet<ref> Guardian ] </ref> <ref></ref> <ref> Guardian ] ]</ref> <ref></ref> | |||
| On ], ] was killed in a bomb attack in the city of ].<ref>{{citenews|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6993211.stm|title=Iraqi insurgents kill key US ally|publisher=BBC News|date=2007-09-13|accessdate = 2007-09-14}}</ref> He was an important US ally because he led the "]", an alliance of Sunni Arab tribes that rose up against ]. The latter organisation claimed responsibility for the attack<ref></ref>. A statement posted on the Internet by the shadowy ] called Abu Risha "one of the dogs of Bush" and described Thursday's killing as a "heroic operation that took over a month to prepare"<ref></ref>. | |||
| ] | |||
| There has been a reported trend of decreasing US troop deaths since May of 2007<ref> ]</ref>, and violence against coalition troops has fallen to the "lowest levels since the first year of the American invasion"<ref> ] ] ]</ref>. These, and several other positive developments, have been attributed to the surge by many analysts.<ref> ] ] ]</ref> However, there is anecdotal evidence that a trend by troops to conduct "search and avoid" missions in place of "]" may also be playing a small part.<ref> | |||
| ] ] ]</ref> Data from ] and other US agencies such as the ] (GAO) found that daily attacks against civilians in Iraq have remained “''about the same''” since February. The GAO also stated that there was no discernible trend in sectarian violence.<ref> ] ] ]</ref> However, this report runs counter to the most recent report to Congress, which shows a general downward trend in civilian deaths and ethno-sectarian violence since December 2006.<ref> December 2007 Report to Congress, sec. 1.3-Security Environment, p. 18-Overall trends in violence</ref> In late 2007, as the U.S. troop surge began to wind down, violence in Iraq had begun to decrease from its 2006 highs. However, political progress remained slow as the Shia-Kurd coalition government continued to stall on any significant progress on the host of issues facing Iraq.<ref></ref> | |||
| In the Shia region near ], British forces turned over security for the region to Iraqi Security Forces as conditions there have stabilized over recent months. Basra is the ninth province of Iraq's 18 provinces to be returned to local security forces' control since the beginning of the war.<ref></ref> | |||
| ===Political developments=== | |||
| ] | |||
| More than half of the members of Iraq's parliament rejected the continuing occupation of their country for the first time. 144 of the 275 lawmakers signed onto a legislative petition that would require the Iraqi government to seek approval from parliament before it requests an extension of the U.N. mandate for foreign forces to be in Iraq expiring at the end of 2007. It also calls for a timetable for the troop withdrawal and a freeze on the size of the foreign forces. The U.N. Security Council mandate for U.S.-led forces in Iraq will terminate "if requested by the government of Iraq."<ref>Abdul-Zahra, Q. (], ]) ''Washington Post'' accessed ] ]</ref> Under Iraqi law, the speaker must present a resolution called for by a majority of lawmakers.<ref>Jarrar, R. and Holland, J. (], ]) ''AlterNet.org'' retrieved ] ]</ref> 59% of those polled in the U.S. support a timetable for withdrawal.<ref>Saad, L. (], ]) ''USA Today/Gallup poll'' retrieved ] ]</ref> | |||
| In mid-2007, the Coalition began a controversial program to recruit Iraqi Sunnis for the formation of "Guardian" militias. These Guardian militias are intended to support and secure various Sunni neighborhoods unable to provide internal security themselves.<ref></ref> | |||
| ===Tensions with Iran=== | |||
| {{see|United States-Iran relations|Karbala provincial headquarters raid}} | |||
| During 2007, tensions increased greatly between ] and ] due to its sanctuary given to the militant anti-Iranian group ](PEJAK). According to reports, Iran has been shelling PEJAK positions in Iraqi Kurdistan since August 16th. These tensions further increased with an alleged border incursion on August 23rd by Iranian troops who attacked several Kurdish villages killing an unknown number of civilians and militants.<ref></ref> | |||
| Coalition forces also ] alleged Iranian ] operatives in Iraq, either ]. The Bush administration and coalition leaders began to publicly state that Iran was supplying weapons, particularly ] devices, to Iraqi insurgents and militias. Further sanctions on Iranian organizations were also announced by the Bush administration in the Autumn of 2007. On ] 2007 Lieutenant General James Dubik, who is in charge of training Iraqi security forces, praised Iran for its "contribution to the reduction of violence" in Iraq by upholding its pledge to stop the flow of weapons, explosives and training of extremists in Iraq.<ref> ] ] ]</ref> | |||
| In ], ], the United States accused Iranian backed insurgency of launching attacks on Iraqi civilians and US-led multinational forces and claimed that approximately 90 percent of foreign terrorists enter Iraq through Syria. | |||
| "Iran and Syria must stop the flow of weapons and foreign fighters into Iraq, and their malign interference in Iraq," U.S. ] ] said Monday in a report to the U.N. Security Council on behalf of the multinational force in Iraq. | |||
| The Iranian and Syrian governments, however, have repeatedly denied trying to destabilize Iraq and insist there is no proof. <ref>http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/29/news/UN-GEN-UN-Iraq.php</ref> | |||
| Furthermore, on ], ], An Iraqi delegation in Iran confronted the Iranian security officials with evidence that Tehran was providing support for Shi'ite militias battling Iraqi government forces. According to Haidar al-Ibadi, a member of Iraqi Prime Minister ]'s ], list of names, training camps and cells linked to Iran were presented to the Iranian officials. In the meantime, the U.S. military officials also claimed that "very, very significant" amounts of Iranian weaponry had been found in ] and ] during a recent offensive in the southern oil hub of ] in late March. Some of those arms are claimed to have been made in 2008.<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSCOL245002</ref> | |||
| ===Tensions with Turkey=== | |||
| {{see|2008 Turkish incursion into northern Iraq}} | |||
| ]]] | |||
| Border incursions by ] militants based in Iraqi Kurdistan have continued to harass Turkish forces, with casualties on both sides increasing tensions between Turkey, a ] ally, and Iraqi Kurdistan. | |||
| In the fall of 2007, the Turkish military stated their right to cross the Iraqi Kurdistan border in "hot pursuit" of PKK militants and began shelling Kurdish villages in Iraq and attacking PKK bases in the ] region with aircraft.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119203192366554757.html?mod=googlenews_wsj</ref><ref></ref> | |||
| The Turkish parliament approved a resolution permitting the military to pursue the PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan.<ref></ref> In November, Turkish gunships attacked parts of northern Iraq in the first such attack by Turkish aircraft since the border tensions escalated.<ref></ref> Another series of attacks in mid-December hit PKK targets | |||
| in the Qandil, Zap, Avashin and Hakurk regions. The latest series of attacks involved at least 50 aircraft and artillery and Kurdish officials reported one civilian killed and two wounded.<ref></ref> | |||
| Additionally, weapons that were originally given to Iraqi security forces by the American military are being recovered by authorities in Turkey after being used in violent crimes in that country.<ref></ref> | |||
| ===Private security firm controversy=== | |||
| {{main|Blackwater Baghdad shootings}} | |||
| On ], ], the Iraqi government announced that it was revoking the license of the American security firm ] over the firm's involvement in the deaths of eight civilians, including a woman and an infant,<ref></ref> in a firefight that followed a car bomb explosion near a State Department motorcade. Additional investigations of ] involving the firm was also under way. Blackwater is currently one of the most high-profile firms operating in Iraq, with around 1,000 employees as well as a fleet of helicopters in the country. Whether the group may be legally prosecuted is still ].<ref></ref>. | |||
| ==2008: Confronting the Shia militias== | |||
| {{see|2008 in Iraq}} | |||
| In early January, the Maliki government began consideration of a new law to politically rehabilitate former ] members.<ref></ref> | |||
| On January 8 ] began in an attempt to hunt down the remaining 200 ] extremists in the ] following the end of the ]. The operation also included targeting insurgent elements in ].<ref name=NYTimes> ], 9 January 2008</ref><ref name=bbc> ], 9 January 2008</ref> | |||
| ]The ongoing conflict between Turkey and ] <ref>http://www.statewatch.org/terrorlists/docs/EUterrorlist-May-06.pdf EU terror list</ref><ref>http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/fs/37191.htm US terror list</ref><ref></ref> intensified on February 21, when Turkey ] into the Quandeel Mountains of Northern Iraq. In the nine day long operation, around 10,000 Turkish troops advanced up to 25 km into Northern Iraq. This was the first substantial ground incursion by Turkish forces since 1995.<ref></ref><ref></ref> Shortly after the incursion began, both the Iraqi cabinet and the Kurdistan regional government condemned Turkey's actions and called for the immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops from the region.<ref></ref> Turkish troops withdrew on February 29.<ref></ref> | |||
| The fifth anniversary of the beginning of the war on 20 March was marked by a speech by George Bush declaring that the surge strategy had been a success and that America was headed for victory. Critics of the war were less optimistic.<ref></ref> | |||
| Meanwhile the war went on, with American forces targeting al-Qaeda strongholds in Mosul.<ref></ref>In late March, the ] in Baghdad came under repeated rocket attack, killing two U.S. government officials and injuring several others.<ref>http://www.townhall.com/news/us/2008/03/27/diplomats_told_to_take_cover_in_baghdad</ref> According to General David Petraeus, the attack was the responsibility of Iranian trained insurgents.<ref></ref>On a day of increased violence and suicide bombings across Iraq, the death of four soldiers brought the total death toll of American forces, since the beginning of the war, to 4000.<ref></ref> | |||
| === March and April Offensive === | |||
| {{see|Iraq Spring Fighting of 2008|Battle of Basra (2008)}} | |||
| At the end of March, the Iraqi Army and Coalition forces launched an offensive, dubbed "The Knights Assault", in Basra to secure the area from militias. The offensive was opposed by the ] which controls much of the region.<ref></ref> Fighting quickly spread to other parts of Iraq: including ], ], ] and others. During the fighting Iraqi forces met stiff resistance from militiamen in Basra to the point that the Iraqi military offensive ground to a halt. | |||
| Following talks with Brig. Gen. ], commander of the ] of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the intercession of the Iranian government, on ], 2008, al-Sadr ordered his followers to lay down their weapons.<ref> ] ], ]</ref> However, despite the ceasefire order militiamen kept their weapons and blended back into the population. | |||
| In late April roadside bombings continued to rise from a low in January of 114 to over 250, surpassing the May 2007 high. | |||
| === Congressional testimony === | |||
| Speaking before the U.S. Congress on ], ], General ] urged delaying troop withdrawals, saying, "I’ve repeatedly noted that we haven’t turned any corners, we haven’t seen any lights at the end of the tunnel," referencing the comments of President Bush and former Vietnam-era General ].<ref>Zremski, J. (4/09/08) ''Buffalo News''</ref> When asked by Senator ] if reasonable people could disagree on the way forward, Petraeus responded, "I don’t know if I would go that far."<ref>Grim, R. (April 8, 2008) ''CBS News''</ref> When asked twice again about that point, Petraeus said, "We fight for the right of people to have other opinions."<ref>Smith, S.A. (April 9, 2008) Indiana ''Journal-Gazette''</ref> | |||
| ] | |||
| Presidential candidate and Senator ] said that it was reckless and irresponsible to call for troop withdrawals. Senator ], disagreed, saying it may be more irresponsible to leave troops in. Senator ] remarked, "if the definition of success is so high: no traces of Al Qaida and no possibility of reconstitution, a highly-effective Iraqi government, a democratic multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian functioning democracy with no Iranian influence, at least not of the kind that we don't like, then that portends the possibility of us staying for 20 or 30 years. If, on the other hand, our criteria is a messy, sloppy status quo but there's not huge outbreaks of violence, there's still corruption, but the country is struggling along, but it's not a threat to its neighbors and it's not an Al Qaida base, that seems to me an achievable goal within a measurable timeframe."<ref> April 8, 2008, ''CQ Transcripts''</ref> | |||
| Senator ], a Republican, broke with his party line, saying the country is, "kind of bankrupted ... in a recession."<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/04/biden_treads_li.html</ref> When asked by Republican Senator ] whether the Iraq War is making the U.S. safer, Petraeus stated that it would ultimately be up to history.<ref>Bennen, S. (9 April 2007) ''The Carpetbagger Report''</ref> Republican Senator ] asked about Ambassador ]'s "diplomatic surge," and its apparent lack of results in the region.<ref>http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/jan-june08/hearings_04-08.html</ref> Republican Senator ] asked for an articulated exit strategy.<ref>http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/08/lawmakers-seek-answers-iraq-strategy-during-petrae/</ref> | |||
| Upon questioning by Senate committee chair ], Ambassador Crocker admitted that ] was less important than the separate ] organization led by ] along Afghan-Pakistani border.<ref>Ambinder, M. (9 April 2002) ''The Atlantic''</ref> Lawmakers from both parties complained that U.S. taxpayers are carrying Iraq's burden as it earns billions of dollars in oil revenues. Democrats plan to push legislation this spring that would force the Iraqi government to spend its own surplus to rebuild.<ref>http://www.startribune.com/politics/17417284.html</ref> | |||
| === Iraq asks the U.S. to leave as the situation allows === | |||
| Iraqi Prime Minister ] told President Bush on ], ] that Iraqi security forces are capable of their duties and U.S. troops should be pulled out as the situation allows.<ref>Associated Press (April 10, 2008) </ref> In May 2007, Bush said, "We are there at the invitation of the Iraqi government. This is a sovereign nation. Twelve million people went to the polls to approve a constitution. It's their government's choice. If they were to say, leave, we would leave."<ref> May 24, 2007</ref> | |||
| Bush said on ], ], that he is not ready to order further troop withdrawals from Iraq. The last of the surge troops are expected to return home in July. Any further withdrawals will be suspended for at least 45 days while General David Petraeus decides if they are possible.<ref>Voice of America (11 April 2008) </ref> | |||
| ==Coalition troop deployment== | |||
| {{main|Multinational Force in Iraq}} | |||
| {{see also|Dancon/Irak|Deployment of Japanese troops to Iraq|Polish involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq|Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq|Operation Telic order of battle}} | |||
| ] | |||
| The Multinational Force in Iraq is a military ] led by the ] fighting the ] against Iraqi insurgents. "Multi-National Force - Iraq" replaced the previous force, Combined Joint Task Force 7, on ], ]. The media in the U.S. has been known to use the term '''U.S.-led coalition''' to describe this force, as around 93% of the troops are from the ].<ref></ref> The majority of nations that deployed troops either confined their men to their bases<ref></ref> due to widespread violence, or issued specific orders to avoid hostile engagement (especially true of the Spanish commanded ]).<ref>{{cite web | title = This far and no further | work = Black Max | url = http://www.iraqtimeline.com/mar04.html | date = 07-04-2007 }}</ref> | |||
| ===United Nations=== | |||
| The ] has also deployed a small contingent to Iraq to protect UN staff and guard their compounds. | |||
| '''United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (])''' | |||
| *{{flagicon|Georgia (country)}} ]: 550 blue-helmets | |||
| *{{flagicon|Fiji}} ]: 168 blue-helmets | |||
| *{{flagicon|Romania}} ]: 130 blue-helmets | |||
| *{{flagicon|Denmark}} ]: 35 blue-helmets | |||
| *{{flagicon|Canada}} ]: 1 blue-helmet<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Operations/current_ops_e.asp|title=www.forces.gc.ca/site/Operations/current_ops_e.asp<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref> | |||
| ==Armed Iraqi groups== | |||
| {{see|History of Iraqi insurgency|Sectarian violence in Iraq|Iraqi coalition counter-insurgency operations}} | |||
| The ] is the armed resistance, by diverse groups, including ], within Iraq opposed to the US occupation and the U.S.-supported ]. The fighting has clear sectarian overtones and significant international implications (see ]). This campaign has been called the ''Iraqi resistance'' by its supporters and the ''anti-Iraqi forces''(AIF)<ref> ] ]</ref> by ]. | |||
| ===Insurgents=== | |||
| ] | |||
| {{main|Iraqi insurgency}} | |||
| By fall 2003 these insurgent groups began using typical ] tactics: ambushes, bombings, kidnappings, and the use of ]. Other actions include mortars and suicide attacks, ]s, small arms fire, anti-aircraft missiles (], ], ]) and ]. The insurgents also conduct ] against the oil, water, and electrical infrastructure of Iraq. Multi-national Force-Iraq statistics (see detailed ] ) show that the insurgents primarily targeted coalition forces, Iraqi security forces and infrastructure, and lastly civilians and government officials. These ] favored attacking unarmored or lightly armored ] vehicles, the U.S. military's primary transport vehicle, primarily through the use of roadside IED.<ref>{{cite news |last = Washburn |first = Mark |title = More Americans Dying from Roadside Bombs in Iraq |publisher = ] |date = ] |url = http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0610-05.htm }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Arun |first = Neil |title = Shaped bombs magnify Iraq attacks |publisher = BBC News |date = ] |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4320818.stm }}</ref> In November 2003, some of these forces successfully attacked U.S. helicopters with ] missiles bought on the global black market.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Insurgent groups such as the ] have also attempted to constitute their own chemical weapons programs, trying to weaponise traditional mortar rounds with ] and ].<ref>{{cite paper|url =http://www.npr.org/documents/2004/cia_wmd/vol3.pdf|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|title=Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq's WMD|format = ]}}</ref> | |||
| There is evidence that some guerrilla groups are organised, perhaps by the fedayeen and other Saddam Hussein or Baath loyalists, religious radicals, Iraqis angered by the occupation, and foreign fighters.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=guerrilla30&date=20030630 |title=Iraqi attacks could signal wide revolt|publisher=The Seattle Times|date=]}}</ref> On ], ] | |||
| ===Militias=== | |||
| Two of the most powerful current militias are the ] and the ], with both militias having substantial political support in the current Iraqi government. Initially, both organisations were involved in the Iraqi insurgency, most clearly seen with the Mahdi Army at the ]. However in recent months, there has been a split between the two groups. | |||
| ]]] | |||
| This violent break between ]'s Mahdi Army and the rival Badr Organization of ], was seen in the fighting in the town of ] on ], ], would severely complicate the efforts of Iraqi and American officials to quell the soaring violence.<ref>{{cite news |last = Semple |first = Kirk |title=Attack on Iraqi City Shows Militia’s Power |publisher = New York Times |date=] |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/world/middleeast/21iraqcnd.html?ex=1318996800&en=a542d37a1dff56f9&ei=5088 }}</ref> | |||
| More recently in late 2005 and 2006, due to increasing sectarian violence based on either tribal/ethnic distinctions or simply due to increased criminal violence, various militias have formed, with whole neighborhoods and cities sometimes being protected or attacked by ethnic or neighborhood militias.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} One such group, known as the Anbar Awakening, was formed in September 2006 to fight against Al Qaeda and other radical islamist groups in particularly violent Anbar province. Led by Sheik and Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi, who heads the Sunni Anbar Salvation Council, the ] has more than 60,000 troops and is seen by key U.S. officials such as Condoleezza Rice as a potential ally to U.S. occupation forces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9801E2DD1731F930A35750C0A9619C8B63|title=In Lawless Sunni Heartland of Iraq, a Tribal Chief Opposes the Jihadists, and Prays}}</ref> | |||
| ==Casualty estimates== | |||
| ] | |||
| {{main|Casualties of the Iraq War}} | |||
| {{see also|Suicide bombings in Iraq since 2003|Foreign hostages in Iraq|List of Coalition forces killed in Iraq in 2006|List of insurgents killed in Iraq}} | |||
| For coalition death totals see the infobox at the top right. See also ], which has casualty numbers for coalition nations, contractors, non-Iraqi civilians, journalists, media helpers, aid workers, wounded, etc.. The main article also gives explanations for the wide variation in estimates and counts, and shows many ways in which undercounting occurs. Casualty figures, especially Iraqi ones, are highly disputed. This section gives a brief overview. | |||
| ] | |||
| U.S. General ] reportedly estimated soon after the invasion that there had been 30,000 Iraqi casualties as of ], ].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040419-secdef1362.html |title = Secretary of Defense Interview with Bob Woodward - 23 Oct, 2003 |work = United States Department of Defense: News Transcript |date = ] |accessdate = 2006-08-09 }}</ref> After this initial estimate he made no further public estimates. | |||
| In December 2005 President Bush said there were 30,000 Iraqi dead. White House spokesman Scott McClellan later said it was "not an official government estimate", and was based on media reports.<ref> . '']'' December 12, 2005.</ref> | |||
| There have been several attempts by the media, coalition governments and others to estimate the Iraqi casualties: | |||
| *'''].''' In January 2008 the '''], Dr Salih Mahdi Motlab Al-Hasanawi,''' reported the results of the "Iraq Family Health Survey" of 9,345 households across Iraq which was carried out in 2006 and 2007. It estimated '''151,000''' violence-related Iraqi deaths (95% uncertainty range, 104,000 to 223,000) from March 2003 '''through June 2006.''' Employees of the Iraqi Health Ministry carried out the survey for the ].<ref name=WHOifhs> . ] (WHO).</ref> The results were published in the ].<ref name=nejm358>{{cite journal |author=Alkhuzai AH, Ahmad IJ, Hweel MJ, Ismail TW, ''et al.'' |title=Violence-Related Mortality in Iraq from 2002 to 2006 |journal=N Engl J Med |volume=358 |issue=2 |pages=484-93 |year=2008 |pmid=18184950 |doi=10.1056/NEJMsa0707782}}</ref><ref name=bbcNewStudy>{{cite news |title=New study says 151,000 Iraqi dead |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7180055.stm |publisher=] |date=10 January 2008}}</ref><ref name=guardianNewStudy>. By Sarah Boseley. January 10, 2008. '']''.</ref> | |||
| *'''] ]''' said in '''November 2006''' that since the March 2003 ] between '''100,000-150,000''' Iraqis have been killed.<ref name=tribune> . ''].'' Nov. 9, 2006.</ref> Al-Shemari said on Thursday, Nov. 9, that he based his figure on an estimate of 100 bodies per day brought to morgues and hospitals.<ref name=taipei>. ''].'' Nov 11, 2006.</ref> | |||
| *The ''']''' found that '''34,452''' violent civilian deaths were reported by morgues, hospitals, and municipal authorities across Iraq '''in 2006'''.<ref> . By Sabrina Tavernise. ''].'' Jan. 17, 2007.</ref><ref> . By ]. '']''. Jan. 16, 2007.</ref> | |||
| *The ''']''' said that '''14,298 civilians, 1,348 police, and 627 soldiers''' were killed '''in 2006'''.<ref> . By the ] ], ]. '']'' Jan. 3, 2007.</ref> The Iraqi government does not count deaths classed as "criminal", nor those from kidnappings, nor wounded persons who die later as the result of attacks. However "a figure of 3,700 civilian deaths in October 2006, the latest tally given by the UN based on data from the Health Ministry and the Baghdad morgue, was branded exaggerated by the Iraqi Government."<ref name=Australian> . By Alastair Macdonald. ''].'' Jan. 2, 2007.</ref> | |||
| *The ''']''' (IBC) has documented '''73,264 - 79,869''' violent, non-combatant civilian deaths since the beginning of the war '''as of September 20, 2007'''. <ref>.</ref> However, the IBC has been criticized for counting only a small percentage of the number of actual deaths because they only include deaths reported by specific media agencies.<ref name=medialens> . Sept. 18, 2007. ''].''</ref><ref name=medialens2> . ]. April 28, 2006.</ref> IBC Director John Sloboda admits, "We've always said our work is an undercount, you can't possibly expect that a media-based analysis will get all the deaths."<ref>Fuller, David. (28 April 2006) . ''BBC ]''</ref> | |||
| *The ''']''' estimated '''654,965''' Iraqi deaths (range of 392,979-942,636) from March 2003 to the end of '''June 2006'''.<ref name="Second Lancet Study" /><ref name="Lancet supplement" /> That total number of deaths (all Iraqis) includes all excess deaths due to increased lawlessness, degraded infrastructure, poorer healthcare, etc, and includes civilians, military deaths and insurgent deaths. 601,027 were violent deaths (31% attributed to Coalition, 24% to others, 46% unknown). A copy of a death certificate was available for a high proportion of the reported deaths (92 per cent of surveyed households produced one).<ref name="Second Lancet Study"/><ref> . '']''. October 21, 2006</ref> The causes of violent deaths were gunshot (56%), car bomb (13%), other explosion/ordnance (14%), air strike (13%), accident (2%), unknown (2%). The survey results have been criticized as "ridiculous" and "extreme and improbable" by various critics such as the Iraqi government and ].<ref> . By Anjana Ahuja. ''].'' March 5, 2007.</ref><ref name=observer/><ref> Iraq Body Count. 16 October 2006.</ref> | |||
| *An ''']''' conducted '''August 12-19, 2007''' estimated 1,220,580 violent deaths due to the Iraq War (range of 733,158 to 1,446,063). Out of a national sample of 1,499 Iraqi adults, 22% had one or more members of their household killed due to the Iraq War (poll accuracy +/-2.4%).<ref name=ORB> . September 2007. Opinion Research Business. PDF report: </ref> ORB reported that 48% died from a gunshot wound, 20% from car bombs, 9% from aerial bombardment, 6% as a result of an accident and 6% from another blast/ordnance. It is the highest estimate given so far of civilian deaths in Iraq and is consistent with the ].<ref name=LAtimes>. By Tina Susman. Sept. 14, 2007. ''].'' ()</ref><ref name=observer> . By Peter Beaumont and Joanna Walters. Sept. 16, 2007. ''].''</ref> On ] ], ORB published an update based on additional work carried out in rural areas of Iraq. Some 600 additional interviews were undertaken and as a result of this the death estimate was revised to '''1,033,000''' with a given range of 946,000 to 1,120,000.<ref name=orbupdate> by Opinion Research Business, January 2008</ref> | |||
| ==Criticisms and costs== | |||
| {{main|Criticism of the Iraq War}} | |||
| ] | |||
| The U.S. ] has faced heavy criticism from an array of popular and official sources both inside and outside the United States, with many American citizens finding many parallels with the ]. According to the ], President Bush's administration made a total of 935 false statements between 2001 and 2003 about Iraq's alleged threat to the United States.<ref>. Retrieved on Jan 2008</ref> Both ] and ] of the invasion have also criticised the prosecution of the war effort along a number of other lines. Most significantly, critics have assailed the U.S. and its allies for not devoting enough troops to the mission, not adequately planning for ], and for permitting and perpetrating widespread human rights abuses. As the war has progressed, critics have also railed against the high human and financial costs. | |||
| Criticisms include: | |||
| *Legality of the invasion | |||
| *Inadequate troop levels (a RAND study stated that 500,000 troops would be required for success)<ref></ref> | |||
| *Insufficient post-invasion plans | |||
| *Human casualties | |||
| *] with approximately $474 billion spent as of 12/07 the ] has estimated the total cost of the war in Iraq to U.S. taxpayers will be around $1.9 trillion.<ref></ref> | |||
| *Adverse effect on global war on terror | |||
| *Negative impact on Israel | |||
| *Endangerment of religious minorities | |||
| *Damage to America's traditional alliances and influence | |||
| *Disruption of Iraqi oil production and related energy security concerns (the price of oil has quadrupled since 2002)<ref></ref> | |||
| {{see|Opposition to the Iraq War|Views on the 2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 invasion of Iraq|Protests against the Iraq War|American popular opinion on invasion of Iraq|Governments' positions pre-2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 invasion of Iraq media coverage|Legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq}} | |||
| ==Humanitarian crises== | |||
| ===Iraqi public opinion=== | |||
| With the disclaimer that opinion polls are unreliable in a war zone the U.S. has long maintained its involvement there is with the support of the Iraqi people, but in 2005 when asked directly, 82–87% of the Iraqi populace was opposed to U.S. occupation and wanted U.S. troops to leave. 47% of Iraqis supported attacking U.S. troops.<ref></ref> | |||
| A March 2007 survey of more than 2,000 Iraqis commissioned by the BBC and three other news organizations found that 51% of the population consider attacks on coalition forces "acceptable," up from 17% in 2004 and 35% in 2006. Also: | |||
| *64% described their family's economic situation as being somewhat or very bad, up from 30% in 2005. | |||
| *88% described the availability of electricity as being either somewhat or very bad, up from 65% in 2004. | |||
| *69% described the availability of clean water as somewhat or very bad, up from 48% in 2004. | |||
| *88% described the availability of fuel for cooking and driving as being somewhat or very bad. | |||
| *58% described reconstruction efforts in the area in which they live as either somewhat or very ineffective, and 9% described them as being totally nonexistent.<ref name="bbcpoll"> conducted by D3 Systems for the BBC, ABC News, ARD German TV and USA Today. More than 2,000 people were questioned in more than 450 neighbourhoods and villages across all 18 provinces of Iraq between 25 February and 5 March 2007. The margin of error is + or – 2.5%.</ref> | |||
| ] | |||
| In a report entitled "Civilians without Protection: The Ever-Worsening Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq", produced well after the stepped-up American-led military operations in Baghdad began ], ], the ] said that millions of Iraqis are in a disastrous situation that is getting worse, with medical professionals fleeing the country after their colleagues were killed or abducted. Mothers are appealing for someone to pick up the bodies on the street so their children will be spared the horror of looking at them on their way to school. Red Cross Director of Operations Pierre Kraehenbuehl said that hospitals and other key services are desperately short of staff, with more than half the doctors said to have already left the country.<ref>Higgins, A.G. (], ]) ''Associated Press''</ref> | |||
| ], Iraq, ], ]]] | |||
| According to an anonymous Iraqi government official, 1,944 civilians and at least 174 soldiers and policemen were killed in May, 2007, a 29% increase in civilian deaths over April. The Iraqi government's estimate of the number of civilian deaths has always been much lower than reports from independent researchers, such as the ]. Mortar attacks in the capital are becoming deadlier.<ref>Reuters (June 2, 2007) accessed 3 June 2007</ref> | |||
| Between June 18 and July 18, 2007, up to 592 unidentified bodies were found dumped in Baghdad. Most of the approximately 20 per day found by the police have been bound, blindfolded and shot execution style. The police attribute these deaths to Sunni and Shi’ite death squads. According to Baghdad medical sources, many have also shown signs of torture and mutilation. Despite official Iraqi and U.S. statements to the contrary, the reports indicated that the number of unidentified bodies in the capital rose to pre-surge levels in July. Media reports have indicated that the U.S. military has usually focused on areas where they have been attacked rather than districts witnessing such sectarian reprisal killings.<ref>Kasem, Z. (July 24, 2007) ''IraqSlogger'' (Praedict) accessed July 24, 2007</ref> | |||
| ===Iraqi health care deterioration=== | |||
| {{seealso|Health in Iraq}} | |||
| Iraq's health has deteriorated to a level not seen since the 1950s, said Joseph Chamie, former director of the U.N. Population Division and an Iraq specialist. "They were at the forefront", he said, referring to health care just before the 1991 Persian Gulf War. "Now they're looking more and more like a country in ]."<ref>. Louise Roug, ''],'' ], ].</ref> ] rates have risen from 19% before the US-led invasion to a national average of 28% four years later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L3048136.htm|title=Hunger, disease spread in Iraq}}</ref> Some 60-70% of Iraqi children are suffering from psychological problems.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/4ef14e3c0bd5ad74baf903a1b1ad849c.htm|title=Traumatised Iraqi children suffer psychological damage}}</ref> 68% of Iraqis have no access to safe drinking water. A ] outbreak in northern Iraq is thought to be the result of poor water | |||
| quality.<ref></ref> As many as half of Iraqi doctors have left the country since 2003.<ref></ref> | |||
| In December 2007 the Iraqi government announced plans to cut food rations and subsidies by almost 50 per cent as part of its overall 2008 budget because of insufficient funds and rising inflation. Apart from the cut in subsidies, Baghdad also wants to reduce the number of people dependent on the rationing system by five million. Rationing was first introduced in 1991 after the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on Iraq but the country has seen an alarming rise in poverty since the 2003 invasion. Nearly 10 million Iraqi's living in poverty now depend heavily on the rationing system. | |||
| ===Orphans=== | |||
| On ] ] a conference dedicated to orphans in Iraq was held in Baghdad. Iraq's anti-corruption board reported that official government statistics revealed that five million (or 35%) of Iraqi children are orphans. Wijdan Salem Mikhail, the Iraqi minister of human rights, stated the phenomenon "''is one of the most passive things that grew immensely during the past few years due to destructive wars and unbridled violence in the country.''" The Iraqi parliament's women and family committee have proposed a draft law to set up a fund for the orphans.<ref> English translation of Aswat Al Iraq newspaper ] ]</ref> Abeer Chalabi head of the state orphanages section of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs estimates more than 4 million orphans and says the number may be exaggerated "''but to have so many is a catastrophe.''" Iraqi orphanages have the capacity to look after no more than 26,000 children but the government says it has only 700 children in its institutions. This is due mainly to the Iraqi tradition that obligates relatives to take in orphaned or abandoned children but many of these families cannot afford to care for them and send them out during the day to beg or gather scrap metal.<ref> ] ] ]</ref> | |||
| ===Iraqi refugees=== | |||
| ] | |||
| There are more than 3.9 million ], almost 16% of the population. Two million ] while approximately 1.9 million are ].<ref>Anthony Arnove: , '']'' March 20, 2007</ref> The ] estimated on June 21, 2007 that 2.2 million Iraqis had fled to neighboring countries and 2 million were displaced internally, with nearly 100,000 Iraqis fleeing to Syria and Jordan each month.<ref></ref><ref> . Alexander G. Higgins, ''],'' ], ]</ref> | |||
| Roughly 40% of Iraq's ] is believed to have fled, the U.N. said. Most are fleeing systematic persecution and have no desire to return. All kinds of people, from university professors to bakers, have been targeted by ], ] and criminals. An estimated 331 school teachers were slain in the first four months of 2006, according to ], and at least 2,000 Iraqi doctors have been ] and 250 kidnapped since the 2003 U.S. invasion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/16/MNG2MNJBIS1.DTL|title=40% of middle class believed to have fled crumbling nation}}</ref> Iraqi refugees in ] and ] live in impoverished communities with little international attention to their plight and little legal protection.<ref></ref><ref></ref> | |||
| Many of the Iraqi women fleeing the war in Iraq are turning to ]. In ] alone an estimated 50,000 ] girls and women, many of them widows, are forced into prostitution just to survive. Cheap Iraqi prostitutes have helped to make Syria a popular destination for ]. The clients come from wealthier countries in the ] - many are ] men.<ref></ref> | |||
| A May 25, 2007 article notes that in the past seven months only 69 people from Iraq have been granted ] in the ].<ref>Ann McFeatters: . '']'' May 25, 2007</ref> In fiscal year 2006, just 202 refugees from Iraq were allowed to resettle in the United States.<ref></ref><ref></ref> As a result of growing international pressure, on June 1, 2007 the Bush administration said it was ready to admit 7,000 Iraqi refugees who had helped the coalition since the invasion. In 2006, 1.27 million ] were granted legal permanent residence in the U.S., including 70,000 refugees.<ref></ref> According to ] based ] the U.S. has admitted fewer than 800 Iraqi refugees since the invasion, ] had accepted 18,000 and ] almost 6,000.<ref> , ], ], ]</ref> As many as 110,000 Iraqis could be targeted as ] because of their work for coalition forces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/65269.html|title=Ambassador wants more visas for loyal Iraqis}}</ref> | |||
| The ]n government decided to implement a strict visa regime to limit the number of ] pouring into the country at up to 5,000 per day, cutting the only accessible escape route for thousands of refugees fleeing the ]. A government decree that takes effect on Sept. 10 2007 bars Iraqi passport holders from entering Syria except for businessmen and academics. Until then, the Syria was the only country resisting strict entry regulations for Iraqis.<ref></ref><ref></ref> | |||
| Although ] represent less than 5% of the total Iraqi population, they make up 40% of the refugees now living in nearby countries, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.<ref></ref><ref></ref> ] estimates that Christians comprise 24% of Iraqis currently seeking asylum in ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/iraq?page=briefing&id=45389c564|title=Iraq: Mortar attack targets Baghdad Palestinians}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rsd/rsddocview.pdf?tbl=RSDLEGAL&id=4371cf5b4|title=Background Information on the Situation of Non-Muslim Religious Minorities in Iraq}}</ref> The census in 1987 counted 1.4 million Christians, however since the ] radicalized Iraqi culture, the total number of Christians dropped to about 500,000, half of which live in Baghdad.<ref></ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/pope/story/0,,1961207,00.html|title='We're staying and we will resist'}}</ref><ref></ref><ref></ref> Between October 2003 and March 2005 alone, 36% of 700,000 Iraqis who fled to Syria were Assyrians and other Christians, judging from a sample of those registering for asylum on political or religious grounds.<ref></ref> Furthermore, the small ] and ] communities are at the risk of elimination due to ] by ]ic militants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6412453.stm|title=Iraq's Mandaeans 'face extinction'}}</ref><ref></ref> | |||
| ==Human rights abuses== | |||
| {{Prose|section|date=January 2008}} | |||
| {{main|Human rights in occupied Iraq|Suicide bombings in Iraq since 2003}} | |||
| Throughout the entire Iraq war there have been ] abuses on all sides of the conflict. | |||
| ===Iraqi government=== | |||
| *The use of torture by Iraqi security forces.<ref>{{cite news|url =http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/01/26/iraq10053.htm |title=Iraq: Torture Continues at Hands of New Government|publisher=Human Rights News|date=]}}</ref> | |||
| *Shiite-run death squads run out of the Interior Ministry that are accused of committing numerous massacres of Sunni Arabs<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1129-08.htm |publisher=The New York Times|title=Sunnis Accuse Iraqi Military of Kidnappings and Slayings|author=Dexter Filkins|date=]}}</ref> and the ] have compounded the problems. | |||
| ===Coalition forces and private contractors=== | |||
| ] holding a leash attached to a prisoner collapsed on the floor in the ]. England was convicted by a US Army court martial for abusing prison detainees.]] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] of 24 civilians | |||
| *] | |||
| *], in ] <ref></ref> | |||
| *The torture and killing of prisoner of war, Iraqi General. ] | |||
| *]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sundayherald.com/42229|title=Iraq: The Wedding Party Massacre|publisher=Sunday Herald|date=]|author=Neil Mackay}}</ref> (under investigation) | |||
| *Controversy over whether disproportionate force was used, during the ] by Coalition and (mostly Shia and Kurdish) Iraqi government forces on the Sunni insurgent stronghold of ] in 2004. Fatalities (both combatant and civilian) were estimated in the hundreds, and much of the city destroyed.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} | |||
| *Planting weapons on noncombatant, unarmed Iraqis by three US Marines after killing them.<ref></ref><ref></ref> According to a report by ], other similar acts have been witnessed by US soldiers.<ref></ref> Members of ] tell similar stories.<ref></ref> | |||
| ===Insurgent and terrorist groups=== | |||
| ] | |||
| {{main|Terrorist attacks of the Iraq War}} | |||
| {{further|]}} | |||
| *Killing over 12,000 Iraqis from January 2005 - June 2006, according to Iraqi Interior Minister ], giving the first official count for the victims of bombings, ambushes and other deadly attacks.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/02/AR2005060201098.html |title=Iraq Puts Civilian Toll at 12,000|publisher=The Washington Post|author=Ellen Knickmeyer|date=]}}</ref> The insurgents have also conducted numerous ]s on the Iraqi civilian population, mostly targeting the majority Shia community.<ref>{{cite news|author=Paul McGeough|url= http://www.smh.com.au/news/After-Saddam/Handicapped-boy-made-into-bomb/2005/02/01/1107228705132.html |title=Handicapped boy who was made into a bomb|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=]}}</ref><ref> . '']'' ], ]</ref> An October 2005 report from ] examines the range of civilian attacks and their purported justification.<ref> . ] October 2005.</ref> | |||
| *Attacks on diplomats and diplomatic facilities including; the bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad in August 2003 killing the top U.N. representative in Iraq and 21 other UN staff members;<ref>{{cite news|url =http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june06/iraq_6-12.html|title=Who are the Iraq Insurgents?|publisher=NewsHour with Jim Lehrer|date=]}}</ref>beheading several diplomats: two Algerian diplomatic envoys Ali Belaroussi and Azzedine Belkadi,<ref>{{cite news|url =https://freeinternetpress.com/story.php?sid=4107|title=Kidnappers Kill Algerian Diplomats|publisher=Free Internet Press|date=]}}</ref> Egyptian diplomatic envoy al-Sherif,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4660909.stm |title=Captors kill Egypt envoy to Iraq|publisher=BBC News|date=]}}</ref> and four Russian diplomats.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5118702.stm|title=Russian diplomat deaths confirmed|publisher=BBC News|date=]}}</ref> | |||
| *The February 2006 bombing of the al-Askari Mosque, destroying one of the holiest Shiite shrines, killing over 165 worshipers and igniting ] and reprisal killings.<ref>Alex Rodriguez, (paid archive), ''The Chicago Tribune'' ], ].</ref> | |||
| *The publicised murders of several contractors; ], ], ], Ivaylo Kepov and Georgi Lazov (Bulgarian truck drivers).<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2004/07/13/bulgarian_iraq040713.html |title=Insurgents kill Bulgarian hostage: Al-Jazeera|publisher=CBC News|date=]}}</ref> Other non-military personnel murdered include: translator ], ], ] (Italian), charity worker ], reconstruction engineer ], photographer Salvatore Santoro (Italian)<ref>{{cite news|url =http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/iraq/hostages.html#killed|title=Foreign hostages in Iraq|publisher=CBC News|date=]}}</ref> and supply worker ] (Iraqi). Four private armed contractors, Scott Helvenston, Jerko Zovko, Wesley Batalona and Michael Teague, were killed with grenades and small arms fire, their bodies dragged from their vehicles, beaten and set ablaze. Their burned corpses were then dragged through the streets before being hung over a bridge crossing the Euphrates.<ref></ref> | |||
| *Torture or murder of members of the ],<ref>{{cite news|author=Sabrina Tavernise|url= http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/19/international/middleeast/19torture.html?ex=1276833600&en=8711248f5a2b9fe6&ei=5088 |title=Iraqis Found in Torture House Tell of Brutality of Insurgents|publisher=The New York Times |date=]}}</ref> and assassination of civilians associated with the ], such as ], or the ], such as ] and ], or other foreign civilians, such as those from Kenya.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3920119.stm |title=Iraq kidnappings stun Kenya press|publisher=BBC News|date=]}}</ref> | |||
| ==Public opinion on the war== | |||
| ===International opinion=== | |||
| According to a January 2007 ] poll of more than 26,000 people in 25 countries, 73% of the global population disapproves of the U.S. handling of the Iraq War.<ref>{{cite web | |||
| |title = World View of US Role Goes from Bad to Worse | |||
| |publisher = ] |date=2007-01-23 | |||
| |url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/23_01_07_us_poll.pdf | |||
| |format =PDF | |||
| |accessdate =2007-05-23 }}</ref> A September 2007 poll conducted by the BBC found that 2/3rds of the world's population believed the U.S. should withdraw its forces from Iraq.<ref></ref> According to an April 2004 USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll, only a third of the Iraqi people believed that "the American-led occupation of their country is doing more good than harm, and a solid majority support an immediate military pullout even though they fear that could put them in greater danger."<ref>{{cite news | |||
| |last = Soriano |first = Cesar |coauthors =Komarow, Steven | |||
| |title = Poll: Iraqis out of patience | |||
| |work = USA Today |publisher = Gannett Co |date=2004-04-28 | |||
| |url =http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-28-poll-cover_x.htm | |||
| |accessdate = 2007-05-24 }}</ref> | |||
| Majorities in the UK and Canada believe the war in Iraq is "unjustified" and - in the UK - are critical of their governments' support of U.S. policies in Iraq (Canada opposed the U.S.-led invasion force and has one observer blue helmet in Iraq).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icmresearch.co.uk/reviews/2006/Guardian%20-%20July/guardian-july-2006.asp|title=www.icmresearch.co.uk/reviews/2006/Guardian%20-%20July/guardian-july-2006.asp<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref> According to polls conducted by ], four years after the invasion of Iraq, 83% of Egyptians had a negative view of the U.S.'s role in Iraq; 68% of Saudi Arabians had a negative view; 96% of the Jordanian population had a negative view; 70% of the UAE and 76% of the Lebanese population also described their view as negative.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aaiusa.org/page/-/Polls/2007_poll_four_years_later_arab_opinion.pdf|title=www.aaiusa.org/page/-/Polls/2007_poll_four_years_later_arab_opinion.pdf<!--INSERT TITLE-->|format=PDF}}</ref> The Pew Global Attitudes Project reports that in 2006 majorities in the Netherlands, Germany, Jordan, France, Lebanon, China, Spain, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, and Morocco believed the world was safer before the Iraq War and the toppling of ]. However, pluralities in the U.S. and India believe the world is safer without ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pewglobal.org/commentary/display.php?AnalysisID=1002|title=pewglobal.org/commentary/display.php?AnalysisID=1002<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref> | |||
| ===Iraqi opinion=== | |||
| ] | |||
| The U.S. has long maintained its involvement there is with the support of the Iraqi people, but in 2005 when asked directly, 82–87% of the Iraqi populace was opposed to U.S. occupation and wanted U.S. troops to leave. 47% of Iraqis supported attacking U.S. troops.<ref> -A WorldPublicOpinion.org Poll-, Program on International Policy Attitudes, January 31, 2006</ref> | |||
| Another WPO poll conducted on September 27, 2006, found that seven out of ten Iraqis want U.S.-led forces to withdraw from Iraq within one year. The perception that the U.S. presence in Iraq has a negative impact on security is widespread and is given some support by the British withdrawal from ] which led to a 90% reduction in violence. Overall, 78% of those polled said they believed that the presence of U.S. forces is "provoking more conflict than it's preventing." 53% of those polled believed the Iraqi government would be strengthened if U.S. forces left Iraq (versus 23% who believed it would be weakened), and 71% wanted this to happen in 1 year or less. All of these positions are more prevalent amongst Sunni and Shia respondents than among Kurds. 61% of respondents said that they "approve" of attacks on U.S.-led forces, while 94% still had an unfavorable opinion of al-Qaeda.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/pdf/sep06/Iraq_Sep06_rpt.pdf|title=www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/pdf/sep06/Iraq_Sep06_rpt.pdf<!--INSERT TITLE-->|format=PDF}}</ref> | |||
| A ], ] survey of more than 2,000 Iraqis commissioned by the BBC and three other news organisations found that 78% of the population opposes "the presence of Coalition forces in Iraq," that 69% believe the presence of U.S. forces is making things worse, and that 51% of the population consider attacks on coalition forces "acceptable", up from 17% in 2004 and 35% in 2006. However, only 35% want them to leave "now". 64% described their family's economic situation as being somewhat or very bad, up from 30% in 2005. 58% described reconstruction efforts in the area in which they live as either somewhat or very ineffective, and 9% described them as being totally nonexistent.<ref name="bbcpoll" /> | |||
| An NGO-sponsored survey for the first time asked ordinary Iraqis their view on the highly contentious draft oil law. According to the poll, 76 percent of Iraqis feel "inadequately" informed about the contents of the proposed law. Nonetheless, 63 percent responded that they would prefer Iraqi state-owned companies – and not foreign corporations – to develop Iraq’s extensive oil fields.<ref> (Oil Change International, Institute for Policy Studies, War on Want, PLATFORM and Global Policy Forum)</ref> | |||
| ==Relation to the Global War on Terror== | |||
| {{main|Iraq War and U.S. Global War on Terror}} | |||
| President Bush has consistently referred to the Iraq war as "the central front in the ]", and has argued that if the U.S. pulls out of Iraq, "terrorists will follow us here."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030909.html|title=www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030909.html<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2002/n09192002_200209194.html|title=www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2002/n09192002_200209194.html<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref><ref> , ], ]</ref> While other proponents of the war have regularly echoed this assertion, as the conflict has dragged on, members of the U.S. Congress, the American public, and even U.S. troops have begun to question the connection between Iraq and the fight against terrorism. In particular, a consensus has developed among intelligence experts that the Iraq war has increased terrorism. Counterterrorism expert ] frequently refers to the invasion of Iraq as a "fatal mistake."<ref>Rohan Gunaratna, "The Post-Madrid Face of Al Qaeda", ''Washington Quarterly'' 27:3 (Summer 2004) p. 98.</ref> London's conservative ] concluded in 2004 that the occupation of Iraq had become "a potent global recruitment pretext" for jihadists and that the invasion "galvanised" al-Qaeda and "perversely inspired insurgent violence" there.<ref>{{cite news |last = Sengupta |first = Kim |title = Occupation Made World Less Safe, Pro-War Institute Says |publisher = ]|date = ] |url = http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0526-05.htm }}</ref> The U.S. ] concluded in a January 2005 report that the war in Iraq had become a breeding ground for a new generation of terrorists; ], the national intelligence officer for transnational threats, indicated that the report concluded that the war in Iraq provided terrorists with "a training ground, a recruitment ground, the opportunity for enhancing technical skills... There is even, under the best scenario, over time, the likelihood that some of the jihadists who are not killed there will, in a sense, go home, wherever home is, and will therefore disperse to various other countries." The Council's Chairman Robert L. Hutchings said, "At the moment, Iraq is a magnet for international terrorist activity."<ref>{{cite news |last = Priest |first = Dana |title = Iraq New Terror Breeding Ground |publisher = Washington Post |date = ] |url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7460-2005Jan13.html }}</ref> And the 2006 ], which outlined the considered judgment of all 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, held that "The Iraq conflict has become the 'cause celebre' for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement."<ref>{{PDFlink||66.3 ]<!-- application/pdf, 67945 bytes -->}}</ref> | |||
| Regarding ]'s ties to terrorist groups such as ], the Bush administration has produced inconsistent statements. Asked to describe the connection between the Iraqi leader and the al-Qaeda terror network at an appearance on ], ] at the ], Defense Secretary ] first refused to answer, then said: "To my knowledge, I have not seen any strong, hard evidence that links the two." Several hours after his appearance, Rumsfeld issued a statement from the Pentagon saying his comment "regrettably was misunderstood" by some. He said he has said since September 2002 that there were ties between ]'s terror group and Iraq.<ref> MSNBC</ref> Despite statements from the Bush administration, inspectors never found hidden stockpiles of WMD in Iraq, and the September 11 Commission reported no collaborative relationship between Al Qaeda and the Iraqi leadership.<ref> ''Associated Press''</ref><ref> ''New York Times'', June 17, 2004</ref> However, several months prior to the commencement of military action, Saddam Hussein had began providing financial assistance to the families of ] militants killed in fighting with, or civilians killed by, the ] (including relatives of suicide bombers).<ref> ] ], ]</ref> He also sponsored a small number of regional groups, designated ] by the ], among them, the ].<ref> 29 April 2003. Retrieved 21 September 2007. "Iraq has helped the Iranian dissident group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a separatist organization fighting the Turkish government, and several far-left Palestinian splinter groups that oppose peace with Israel."</ref> Former National Intelligence Officer ] notes that, | |||
| <blockquote>Iraq did provide other kinds of sponsorship to terrorist groups, some of the Palestinian groups that aren't so active anymore... But in terms of it having provided support or sustenance or strength, or having anything close to an alliance with al Qaeda, it simply wasn't there.<ref>], '']'', ] ], ]</ref></blockquote> | |||
| Al-Qaeda leaders have seen the Iraq war as a boon to their recruiting and operational efforts, providing evidence to jihadists worldwide that America is at war with Islam, and the training ground for a new generation of jihadists to practice attacks on American forces. In October 2003, Osama bin Laden announced: "Be glad of the good news: America is mired in the swamps of the Tigris and Euphrates. Bush is, through Iraq and its oil, easy prey. Here is he now, thank God, in an embarrassing situation and here is America today being ruined before the eyes of the whole world."<ref>]: </ref> Al-Qaeda commander ] gloated about the war in Iraq, indicating, "The Americans took the bait and fell into our trap."<ref>{{cite news |last = Gerges |first = Fawaz A. |title = The Iraq War: Planting the Seeds of Al Qaeda's Second Generation |publisher = Toward Freedom |date = ] |url = http://towardfreedom.com/home/content/view/623/60/ }}</ref> A letter thought to be from al-Qaeda leader ] found in Iraq among the rubble where ] was killed and released by the U.S. military in October 2006, indicated that al-Qaeda perceived the war as beneficial to its goals: "The most important thing is that the jihad continues with steadfastness ... indeed, prolonging the war is in our interest."<ref>{{cite news |last = Murphy |first = Dan |title = How Al Qaeda views a long Iraq war |publisher = Christian Science Monitor |date = ] |url = http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1006/p01s04-woiq.html }}</ref> | |||
| {{see|Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda|Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda timeline|Criticism of the War on Terrorism}} | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| {{commons}} | |||
| {{Wikiquote}} | |||
| {{portal|Iraq War|Flag_of Iraq.svg}} | |||
| {{portal|Iraq|Flag of Iraq.svg}} | |||
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| *], Iraqi-American journalist who reports on Middle East affairs | |||
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| ==Topical images== | |||
| <gallery> | |||
| Image:Iraq.A2003060.0750.500m.jpg|A satellite image of Iraq. | |||
| Image:Iraq demography.jpg|The ethno-religious makeup of Iraq. | |||
| <!--no idea where this one went: Image:Saddamstatue.jpg|The famous 9 April 2003 toppling of ]’s statue in ] in ]. --> | |||
| Image:19 Mar 2007 Seattle Demo 50.jpg|Anti-war demonstration, ], 19 March 2007. "Veterans for Peace" sign. | |||
| Image:Latvian Army soldier Diwaniyah 2006.jpg|A ]n army soldier with ] at a checkpoint on Tampa Road in ], Iraq. | |||
| Image:Iraq operation 3 soldiers.jpg|A group of ] in ], Iraq. | |||
| Image:Iraq protests before UK Parliament 501588 fh000036.jpg|An anti-war demonstration in ], in the ]. | |||
| Image:IrakKriegM1A1USA.jpg|A destroyed Coalition M1A1 Abrams tank. | |||
| Image:Iraqi military men riding on tank.jpg|February 28, 2003. Iraqi troops on an ] before the Iraq War. | |||
| Image:IrakDiwaniyahT55.jpg|Several destroyed Iraqi T55 tanks | |||
| Image:Iraq 2003 occupation.png|The various occupation zones in Iraq. | |||
| Image:George W Bush on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln.jpg|] on the deck of the ] on May 1, 2003 to deliver the "]" speech. | |||
| </gallery> | |||
| ==Bibliography== | |||
| *David Bellavia (2007) ''House to House: an Epic of Urban Warfare''. Simon and Schuster. About the 2nd Battle of Fallujah - written by a participant. | |||
| *] (2006) '']: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq'' | |||
| *] (2006) '']''. Penguin. | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| ... | |||
| ==External articles== | |||
| <div class="references-small"> | |||
| {{Multicol}} | |||
| ;Overview | |||
| *. | |||
| *{{PDFlink|.|1.08 ]<!-- application/pdf, 1142518 bytes -->}} | |||
| *. | |||
| * Google. | |||
| * by Rupert Cornwell, '']'', ], ] | |||
| ;Maps of Iraq | |||
| *, GulfWarrior.org. | |||
| ;Road to War | |||
| * Information Act request to the Department of Defense seeking from meetings with Defense Secretary ] on the afternoon of ], ]. | |||
| * details of ], ] private meeting between George W. Bush and ] in which they discussed using U.S. spyplanes in UN colours to lure Saddam Hussein into war. | |||
| *, legal advice given to British Prime Minister Tony Blair weeks before the 2003 invasion, Channel 4, Great Britain. | |||
| * on the evening of ], ], announcing war against Iraq. | |||
| ;Iraqi sources | |||
| * Iraqis writing about their experiences of war at ElectronicIraq.net. | |||
| * a series of exclusive, in-depth interviews with Iraqis, aid workers, military personnel and others who have spent significant time on-the-ground in Iraq, Epic-USA.org. | |||
| * a compilation of the latest polls and blogs coming out of Iraq, Epic-USA.org. | |||
| * from U.S. Army's Leavenworth, a U.S. military site containing approximately one million files captured from the Iraqi military in the aftermath of the invasion. | |||
| ;Opinions and polls | |||
| *Sean Rayment, ""; a poll conducted among Iraqis reveals strong opposition toward Allied presence in Iraq. The Daily Telegraph, ] ]. | |||
| *; Jeff Sommers, Khaled Diab and Charles Woolfson explore the dynamics between playwright and president as America's 'war on terror' stands in the dock. January 2006, published in Al Ahram Weekly | |||
| *Caspar Henderson, "'': attitudes across frontiers''". ] ]. | |||
| *], . Wall Street Journal, ] ]. | |||
| *"''''". Zogby International, ] ]. | |||
| *Carl Conetta, "''? Iraqi attitudes on occupation, U.S. withdrawal, governments, and quality of life''". Project on Defense Alternatives, ] ]. | |||
| *. Chronological polls of Americans 18 & older | |||
| *Public Agenda – Tracking survey of Americans' attitudes on international relations, conducted for '']'' | |||
| {{Multicol-break}} | |||
| ;Casualties | |||
| To find additional links not found in the reference links section here see ]. | |||
| ; Combat operations related | |||
| *. Psywar.org, ] ]. (Iraq War PSYOP leaflets and posters) | |||
| ;News | |||
| *: Daily news and analysis from Iraq with a special focus on the Iraqi experience of war. | |||
| *: Aggregated news on the war, including politics and economics. | |||
| *: BBC Best Link: All the latest news, analysis and images from Iraq. | |||
| *: CNN Special Report: This page was archived in May 2003 when President Bush declared an end to major combat. However, the coalition casualties' list continues to be updated. | |||
| *: CNN Special Report: Three years later, debate rages. | |||
| * | |||
| ;Anti-war activists and war critics | |||
| *], | |||
| *David Shuster, "''; How the Bush administration sold the Iraq War to American people," ], ], ]. | |||
| *Antiwar news and viewpoints | |||
| *: Students (Boston University and Oglethorpe University) site | |||
| * Contains information, news, and opinion on the Iraq War. | |||
| * by Barry McNamara in 2003, Winner of the Best Animation award at the and in 2004. | |||
| * Dahr Jamail's Iraq Dispatches. Independent journalist in Iraq. Many despatches, reports and photos. | |||
| * Tales of Iraq War. Anti-war webcomics by cartoonist Latuff. | |||
| * Socialist Worker Online’s ongoing coverage and analysis | |||
| * 15 minute updated news, Discussion, Auto-Updating U.S. Deaths counter that can be shown on any website. | |||
| * iShotTheDeputy.com article criticising comparisons with Vietnam. | |||
| *Liam Anderson and Gareth Stansfield, The Future of Iraq: Dictatorship, Democracy or Division?, 2004, Palgrave Macmillian ISBN 1-4039-6354-1 | |||
| *], </nowiki> Three-State Solution?] ] review, ] ] | |||
| * | |||
| * from ]'s organization | |||
| {{Multicol-break}} | |||
| ; Independent analysis | |||
| *"''''" by Ray Salvatore Jennings May 2003 Peceworks No. 49 ] | |||
| *"''''" by ] | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| *, Richard Drayton, Tuesday ] ] ] | |||
| * Pre-Invasion speech by U.S. Senator ], ], ]. | |||
| * The Independent Review Volume 11 Number 2 Fall 2006, (Analysis of the Iraq axiom that democracy can be imposed) | |||
| ;War supporters and operation proponents | |||
| *], '']'' Online, ], ]. | |||
| *"'' Analysis of Civilian Casualties in the first two years of the Iraq War, ''Logic Times'', ], ]. | |||
| *Analogy presented by showing a '']'' article from 1946 discussing the failures of ], titled . | |||
| * by Michael Johns, May 4, 2007. | |||
| ;Economics | |||
| * and Katrina Kosec, "''''". AEI-Brookings Joint Center Working Paper 05-19. September 2005. | |||
| * allows users to change assumptions for predicting expected future cost of the Iraq war''. | |||
| *: total of the U.S. taxpayer cost of the Iraq War | |||
| *. Christian Science Monitor, ] ] based on by Linda Bilmes, Harvard University, and ], laureate of the Nobel Prize of Economics in 2001. | |||
| * by ] | |||
| ;Judiciary | |||
| *, ''New York Times'' ], ] () | |||
| * pdf Legal dissertation by Thomas Dyhr from University of Copenhagen. | |||
| ;Media Echo | |||
| * (a ] of various statements concerning the war) dead link; these links active as of October 01 2006 and | |||
| *Tatham, Steve (2006), 'Losing Arab Hearts & Minds: The Coalition, Al-Jazeera & Muslim Public Opinion' Hurst & Co (London) Published ]] | |||
| {{Multicol-end}} | |||
| </div> | |||
| {{Iraq War}} | |||
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Revision as of 04:52, 7 May 2008
IRAQ WAR IS CRAP. STUPID PRESIDENT. LEBRON JAMES IS AWESOME. YOUR MOM IS TOO. NOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOBNOOB NOOB NOOB