Attack on Iraq
In his first State of the Union address on
January 29, 2002, President
Bush says that Iraq -- as well as Iran and North Korea -- are
part of an "axis of evil." The comments signal an increase in
rhetoric from the White House against Saddam Hussein and in support
of U.S. action in Iraq.
In frequent public appearances over the next
several months, top officials in the Bush administration call for a
"regime change" and threaten military action if Iraq does not allow
unfettered weapons inspections and destroy its weapons of mass
destruction arsenal and program. Iraq accuses the United States of lying
in order to control Iraq's oil and serve Israel's interests.
In September 2002 President Bush urged the
United Nations to encourage Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to comply
with U.N. resolutions or "actions will be unavoidable." Bush said that
Saddam has repeatedly violated 16 U.N. Security Council resolutions,
which include a call for Iraq to "disarm its chemical, biological and
nuclear weapons programs".
Iraqi officials rejected Bush's assertions. In
November, the U.N. Security Council unanimously passes a new resolution
(UNSC 1441)
giving Iraq a 30 day to provide the Security Council a currently
accurate, full, and complete declaration of all aspects of its military
programs, demanding that Baghdad allow U.N. arms inspectors unhindered
access to any site suspected of producing chemical, biological or
nuclear weapons, recalls, that the Council has repeatedly warned Iraq
that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued
violations of its obligations.
Iraq agreed to the resolution and inspectors
returned to Iraq on November 26. The resolution also requires Baghdad to
provide a list of its weapons of mass destruction to the Security
Council by December 8.
Iraq denies having any weapons of mass
destruction and says the resolution is the result of the desire of the
United States and Britain to launch military attacks on Iraq.
On 17th of March 2003, President Bush gave
Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave Iraq, threatening that
their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a
time of his choosing.
Saddam has rejected President Bush's ultimatum
that he and his sons leave Iraq before early Thursday the 20th of March,
or face military action. A statement from the Revolutionary Command
Council was broadcast on Iraqi television, saying the Iraqi regime
"denounced the reckless ultimatum directed by American President George
Bush." It said Iraq is ready to confront a U.S.-led attack.
It was 5:45 in the morning in Baghdad on Thursday 20th of March 23,
2003 (Wednesday 9:45 PM EST) when more than 40 satellite-guided
Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from U.S. warships in the Red Sea and
Persian Gulf at a "target of opportunity" as described by U.S.
military sources. U.S. President George W. Bush announced Wednesday
night he had ordered the coalition attack on Iraq to begin with what
the Pentagon called a "decapitation attack."