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Beginning of the Iraq War
Operation Iraqi Freedom evolved into the Iraq War. The US, UK, Australia, and Poland invaded Iraq with a plan to end Hussein's regime. Hussein broke the terms of an agreement made after the Gulf war by removing the US inspectors and causing the US to believe he had WMD’s. The UN received false intelligence that he had continued his biological weapons program, which he had agreed not to do. After 9/11 the US was unsure of Iraq's involvement and did not want to let threats simmer. -
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Iraq War
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Toppling Saddam Hussein's Statue
U.S. Marines tore down Saddam Hussein’s statue in Firdos Square on April 9, 2003. Civilians began to celebrate and vandalize portraits of Hussein. This symbolized the U.S. taking Baghdad. -
Saddam Hussein Captured
Hussein was found on hiding in an 8-foot deep hole on December 14, 2003. He was on a farm near Tikri by 600 US soldiers. -
Reported Iraq does not have WMD's
On December 7, 2004 the CIA reported that Iraq does not possess WMD's or the capabilities to create them. Bush stood by his decision to invade Iraq because Hussein was still considered a threat even without biological weapons. -
Iraqis vote to elect new members of Assembly
Shiite Muslim’s won a majority in the elections. The Shiite's are the most powerful party. -
Leader of al-Qaida is killed
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was the leader of al-Qaida before he was killed by the US in a airstrike on June 8, 2006. -
Hussein is sentenced to death
Saddam Hussein is sentenced to be hung for crimes against humanity. He was sentenced for killing 148 Shiites in 1982. -
Hussein is Hung
Hussein was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. He was hung on December 30, 2006 in Northern Baghdad. -
Proven that there is no link between al-Qaida and Hussein
On March 10, 2008 it was proven that there is no link between Hussein and al-Qaida. The Bush administration used supposed WMD's, Iraq and al-Qaida link, and the 9/11 attacks to invade Iraq. -
Iraqi Parliament passes agreement
Iraqi Parliment agrees that all US troops must leave Iraq by the end of 2011. -
End of the Iraq War
The war ended on December 31, 2011. On September 1, 2010, President Obama declared the end of combat in Iraq. This was called Operation New Dawn. The US and Iraq agreed all US troops would leave Iraq by December 31, 2011 with the exception of a few hundred troops to protect the embassy.
