2003 invasion of Iraq: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:10, 10 September 2005

Revision as of 15:16, 10 September 2005

Line 5:

==Political / Diplomatic aspects==

In his [[17 March]] [[2003]] address to the nation, [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]] and [[United Kingdom Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] demanded that Iraqi President [[Saddam Hussein]] and his two sons [[Uday Hussein|Uday]] and [[Qusay Hussein|Qusay]] leave [[Iraq]], giving them a 48-hour deadline [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/iraq/20030317-7.html]. This demand was rejected [http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/attack/2003/0318iraqreject.htm].

Since the invasion began without the explicit approval of the [[United Nations Security Council]], some legal authorities regard it as a violation of the [[U.N. Charter]]. [[United Nations Secretary-General]] [[Kofi Annan]] said in September 2004, "From our point of view and the U.N. charter point of view, it was illegal." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25685-2004Sep16.html] There have been no formal charges under international law.

Line 291:

Looting took place in the days following. It was reported that the [[National Museum of Iraq]] was among the looted sites. The assertion that US forces did not guard the museum because they were guarding the Ministry of Oil and Ministry of Interior is apparently true. According to U.S. officials the "reality of the situation on the ground" was that hospitals, water plants, and ministries with vital intelligence needed security more than other sites. There were only enough US troops on the ground to guard a certain number of the many sites that ideally needed protection, and so, apparently, some "hard choices" were made. Also, it was reported that many trucks of purported [[Iraqi Gold]] and $1.6 billion of bricks of US cash were seized by US forces.

[[Image:Saddamstatue.jpg|thumb|AU.S. troops topple a giant statue of Saddam is toppled in Baghdad, following the capture of the city in April.]]

The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] was soon called into Iraq to track down the stolen items. It was found that the initial claims of looting of substantial portions of the collection were heavily exaggerated.