What Happened On March 20th?

The beginning of a highly controversial chapter started on this day in 2003: the US led the invasion of Iraq. A coalition comprised of the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland, under the banner of “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” the four nations launched a swift military campaign to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein. While the initial invasion was a rapid success, the aftermath proved to be far more complex and protracted.

The primary justification for the invasion was an alleged presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq. However, even after extensive searches after the invasion, Iraq yielded no stockpiles of WMDs, which understated the rationale for the war.

The invasion began with a pre-dawn decapitation strike, targeting key Iraqi leadership figures, including Saddam Hussein. Hussein was the primary target, as he was known for his cruel practices and murderous intent. While the attack was intended to be a surprise, a taxi driver, carrying a senior Iraqi official, inadvertently stumbled upon a planning meeting of the four nations. This accident raised concerns that the element of surprise could have been compromised.

The opening phase of the invasion, codenamed “Shock and Awe,” involved a relentless aerial bombardment aimed at demoralizing Iraqi forces. However, some critics argued that the strategy caused unnecessary civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure.

While the US spearheaded the invasion, the burden of troop deployment wasn’t equally shared. The US provided the vast majority of troops (130,000), with the UK (45,000), Australia (2,000), and Poland (194) contributing a fraction of the overall force.

The rapid and physical collapse of the Iraqi government created a power vacuum, and this led to a widespread of looting in the capital city, Baghdad. Iconic institutions, including the National Museum of Iraq, suffered immense damage and loss of priceless artifacts.

Successfully attacking one of the “three evil nations,”President George W. Bush famously declared the invasion as a “Mission Accomplished” on a US aircraft carrier on May 1st, 2003. However, the declaration proved premature. The post-invasion years were met by a brutal insurgency, sectarian violence, and a protracted US military presence in Iraq.

Although the numbers of casualties in Iraq are not specified, reports estimate that over 170,000 loss their lives in the Iraq War. However, it wasn’t until later in December of 2003, when Hussein was captured.