War in Iraq Began in 2003; Saddam Hussein was the president of Iraq.

War in IraqBegan in 2003;

Saddam Hussein was the president of Iraq

The Background

• 1980-88 War between Iran and Iraq.

• The U.S. secretly supported Iran with weapons sales (Iran-Contra Scandal!), and more openly supported Iraq.

• Iran was a theocracy, led by radical Ayatollah Khomeini

• Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq was a secular state.

Kurds

• Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons against the Kurds, an ethnic minority in northern Iraq

Persian Gulf War, 1991

• Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait

• The U.S. and many countries in the United Nations attacked Iraq and drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait

• The war lasted 6 weeks; Saddam Hussein surrendered.

1991-2003

• As part of the peace agreement, Saddam Hussein had to allow the United Nations to send in weapons inspectors, who were looking for Weapons of Mass Destruction.

• Saddam Hussein tried to avoid these inspections regularly for 12 years

Weapons of Mass Destruction

• Nuclear weapons—Iraq was not accused of having these but was apparently working on developing one

• Biological weapons (example—anthrax or other deadly diseases that could be used against millions of people)

• Chemical weapons (example—mustard gas or cyanide--chemicals that cause severe burns, suffocation, death)

Operation Iraqi Freedom

• The U.S. attacked Iraq in 2003 because we believed Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons have been found since the US invasion.

• Baghdad is the capital of Iraq.

What happened to Saddam?

• He fled from Baghdad.

• He was later found and arrested.

• He was put on trial for crimes against his own people (killing 148 Shiites).

• He was found guilty and hanged.

Troop Surge• In summer 2007,

President Bush sent thousands more troops to try to end the violence in Iraq and establish peace and security.

• By a year later, most people agreed the troop surge was successful in reducing violence by insurgents, or rebels.

Iraqi Government• Iraq had its first

democratic elections in 2005

• The 2010 elections ended without a clear majority: Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Allawi are from opposing parties.

• It took 9 months after the February election for them to form a coalition government.

Troop Withdrawal

• US combat operations officially ended in August 2010

• A full withdrawal took place in December 2011. About 200 U.S. military personnel will stay in Baghdad as members of the U.S. diplomatic mission.

• 4,486 US troops died in Iraq since 2003

Why did we stay so long in Iraq?

• Helped end civil war between Sunnis and Shiites, both trying to control Iraq

• U.S. was trying to keep peace and establish security, supporting the elected Iraqi government

• We will continue to give support through our Embassy