After 9/11 2001, George W. Bush quickly shifted the focus from Afghanistan to Iraq. Throughout 2002, the Bush administration undertook a diplomatic effort to gain UN authorization for military action as they alleged that the Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, developed weapons of mass destruction and aiding terrorist organisations.

It was a period characterized by intense pressure, debate, and eventual conflict over whether Iraq was in compliance with UN demands. On September 12, 2002, President Bush addressed the UN General Assembly, challenging the UN to enforce its own resolutions on Iraq’s disarmament, saying “action will be unavoidable” if the UN fails to act.

On October 11, 2002, US Congress overwhelmingly authorized President Bush to use military force against Iraq. On November 8, the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 1441, offering Iraq “a final opportunity” to disarm and warning of “serious consequences” if it fails to comply. However, the US failed to secure a second resolution explicitly authorizing force. 

While Iraq claimed that it had no current WMD program, on February 5, 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell made his infamous, detailed presentation to the UN Security Council, presenting evidence of Iraq’s alleged WMD program. However, he failed to persuade many Council members, who demanded more time for inspections. In hindsight, Powell’s presentation must be considered a major intelligence failure, to say the least.

So, Operation Iraqi Freedom was launched March 19, 2003 after UN weapons inspectors had left Iraq the day before. Despite Bushs claim, Mission Accomplished! on May 1st, 2023, the Iraq War went on for at least eight more years.