Iraq War
Saddam's ouster conflict
The Iraq War was the U.S.-led military invasion and occupation of Iraq from 2003 to 2011.
Justified by claims of weapons of mass destruction that proved unfounded, it toppled Saddam Hussein but triggered prolonged insurgency and sectarian violence.
The war remains deeply controversial, with estimates of Iraqi civilian deaths ranging from over 100,000 to much higher.
He served two tours in the Iraq War.
Swift dominance through firepower
- BaghdadIraqi seat of government
- coalitionTemporary alliance for action
- ground troopsSoldiers operating on land
- airstrikesMilitary attacks from aircraft
Saddam Hussein · regime change · preemptive strike · weapons of mass destruction · Kuwait · UN resolutions · sanctions · Baath Party
Secured governmental compound
- insurgencyArmed uprising against authority
- IEDMakeshift explosive weapon
- counterinsurgencyCombating armed rebellion tactics
- reconstructionRebuilding after destruction
sectarian violence · Abu Ghraib · Fallujah · troop surge · private contractors · checkpoints · curfew · roadside bombs
Iraqi seat of government
- BasraIraqi port city
- MosulIraqi city on Tigris
- TikritIraqi provincial capital
- KurdistanKurdish people's traditional territory
Fallujah · Tigris · Euphrates · Mesopotamia · Shiite · Sunni · Kurds · sectarian
American land military branch
- coalition forcesMultinational military alliance
- soldiersMilitary personnel who fight
- tanksStorage vessels for liquids
- HumveesAmerican military utility vehicles
helicopters · Apache · drones · artillery · air support · combat operations · patrol · convoy
Rule by the people
- electionsFormal choosing of officials
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
- governanceHow authority is exercised
federalism · sovereignty · interim government · referendum · civil rights · political transition · autonomy · accountability
Natural underground hydrocarbon liquid
- reservesResources held back
- pipelinesTubes for transporting fluids
- refineriesFacilities that purify raw materials
- oil fieldsAreas yielding crude petroleum
OPEC · energy security · oil revenues · sabotage · resource curse · production · export
shock and awe
Swift dominance through firepower
- BaghdadIraqi seat of government
- coalitionTemporary alliance for action
- ground troopsSoldiers operating on land
airstrikes · Saddam Hussein · regime change · preemptive strike · weapons of mass destruction · Kuwait · UN resolutions · sanctions · Baath Party · Republican Guard
Green Zone
Secured governmental compound
- insurgencyArmed uprising against authority
- IEDMakeshift explosive weapon
- counterinsurgencyCombating armed rebellion tactics
reconstruction · sectarian violence · Abu Ghraib · Fallujah · troop surge · private contractors · checkpoints · curfew · roadside bombs · nation-building
Baghdad
Iraqi seat of government
Kurdistan · Fallujah · Tigris · Euphrates · Mesopotamia · Shiite · Sunni · Kurds · sectarian
US Army
American land military branch
- coalition forcesMultinational military alliance
- soldiersMilitary personnel who fight
- tanksStorage vessels for liquids
Humvees · helicopters · Apache · drones · artillery · air support · combat operations · patrol · convoy · casualties
democracy
Rule by the people
- electionsFormal choosing of officials
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
governance · federalism · sovereignty · interim government · referendum · civil rights · political transition · autonomy · accountability · authorization
petroleum
Natural underground hydrocarbon liquid
- reservesResources held back
- pipelinesTubes for transporting fluids
- refineriesFacilities that purify raw materials
oil fields · OPEC · energy security · oil revenues · sabotage · resource curse · production · export
- American WarsWWI, WWII, Desert Storm
- WarsWWI
- IraqBaghdad, Basra, Mosul, Fallujah, Kurdistan
- 2000s History9/11, September 11, Arab Spring, Great Recession, financial crisis
- 2003SARS, MySpace, LinkedIn, Skype, blackout
- American HegemonyMonroe Doctrine, manifest destiny, territorial expansion, interventionism, regime change
Iraq Warpeace
Freedom from disturbance
diplomatic solution · peaceful resolution · non-intervention · diplomacy · negotiated settlement
Iraq WarWorld War II
Second global military conflict
D-Day · just war · defensive war · Gulf War · Korean War
war, warrior, warfare, wars, warlike, Iraq, wartime, warmonger, Iraqi