Discuss the reasons for the invasion of Iraq and its effects.

Essay by nunwrestlingHigh School, 11th gradeA+, November 2014

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2456 ­ 11MH ­ Ms Whelan

Question: Discuss the reasons for the invasion of Iraq and its effects. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 was a controversial conflict aimed at deposing the dictator, Saddam Hussein. It was led by a "Coalition of the willing" consisting of the United States, Britain, Australia, Denmark, Poland, and Spain. The threat of his supposed rapid increase in stockpiling of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) was the main reason for the invasion. The conflict had lasted a total of 21 days before the Ba'athist regime was overthrown. What seemed like a clear victory for the allies quickly changed when a wave of violence against coalition forces, called the 'Iraqi Insurgency,' forced a prolonged war that would last for nearly 9 years. Saddam Hussein was elected President of Iraq in 1976, marking the beginning of a dictatorship. During his reign, he developed and used chemical weapons, a type of WMD. The first example was against Iranian troops in the Iran­Iraq war where chemical weapons, such as mustard gas and tabun, the first known use of nerve gas in war. Initially, these 1

chemical weapons were used as a defensive measure, but the Iraqi forces continued to use them for regaining territory. The second example was against the civilian population. Nerve gas was used on the Kurdish people, who live in Northern Iraq. The chemical weapons attack was an act of genocide and over 3000 people perished in a single day. These atrocities 2

sparked international condemnation as they both violate the Geneva Convention, an international agreement which includes banning the use of chemical weapons. In January 1991, the coalition, including U.S., followed by 30 other countries fought against Iraq in the first Gulf War. The war began with Iraq invading the country of Kuwait,