The Iraq War: 20 Years Later

The Iraq war began 20 years ago - on 20 May, 2003.

Operation Iraqi Freedom began with 295,000 US and allied troops invading the Middle Eastern country. 

30 countries, including the UK, Australia and Poland participated in the war, with the UK sending 45,000 troops.

But US neighbours Canada and Mexico, and two key allies Germany and France refused to support the invasion.

By May 2003, Iraq's army had been defeated and its regime overthrown. President Saddam Hussein was later captured and executed.

Estimates of the number of Iraqis killed in the war range up to 500,000. Meanwhile, more than 4,400 US troops were killed. The war cost the US an estimated two trillion dollars.

The George W. Bush administration justified their invasion on the belief that there was significant evidence that Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

But, none were found.

Eight years after they invaded, US troops withdrew from Iraq.

Two decades on, 61% of Americans think the US invasion was the wrong decision, according to a recent Ipsos poll.
IMAGE THUMBNAIL CREDIT: SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAEL MACOR

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