Dear thedhc,
The current campaign in Iraq, called Operation Iraqi Freedom (now you
know how to call it, instead of contemplating whether this is the ?2nd
Iraqi-American War?, or ?The Fourth Gulf War?, etc.) closes now its
third year: on Monday it's an anniversary.
Timeline
-----------
Good timelines of the current campaign could be found at :
Wikipedia - 2003 Iraq war timeline
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Iraq_war_timeline> - the timeline
goes further, to links discussing 2003-2004
(<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_-_2004_occupation_of_Iraq_timeline>)
and in ?2005 in Iraq? <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_in_Iraq>)
Infoplease ? Iraq Timeline (p.2)
<http://www.infoplease.com/spot/iraqtimeline2.html> - please note that
the time line spans further after this page.
A very good timeline since the fall of Saddam is available on the BBC site:
BBC - Timeline: Iraq after Saddam
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4192189.stm>
Background of the Invasion (?Reasons? to Invade)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Iraq was defined by the United States as a ?Rogue State?, supporting
anti-American activities, including terrorism. It was led by Saddam
Hussein, a dictator responsible for the death of hundreds of
thousands. These, however, were not direct reasons for the Coalition
forces to invade Iraq. The direct casus beli (?reason to go to war?)
was Iraq?s refusal to allow UN inspectors access to its alleged
arsenal of non-conventional weapons and to give them up. ?Prior to the
invasion, the United States claimed that Iraq illegally possessed
Weapons of Mass Destruction in violation of UN Security Council
Resolution 1441 and had to be disarmed by force. U.S. president George
W. Bush repeatedly claimed that these weapons posed a grave and
imminent threat to the United States and its allies. UN inspection
teams were searching Iraq for these alleged weapons prior to the
invasion and were willing to continue, but were forced out by the
onset of war in spite of their requests for more time. The US
abandoned its failing efforts to get international endorsement for war
against Iraq on March 17, 2003 and began the invasion on March 20,
2003. ? (SOURCE: Wikipedia, ?2003 Invasion of Iraq?,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Iraqi_Freedom> ).
This was the official ?casus beli? and the United States managed to
engage the UK and several other partners to a coalition that would
attack Iraq on that ground. Supporters of the invasion also claimed
that Saddam has supported Al-Qaeda terrorists (or other terrorists
acting against the United States and its allies) and that it posed a
threat to the whole region.
However, detractors of the campaign claims that other reasons stood at
the basis of the Iraqi campaign. One of the main issues put up by
opponents to the war is the motivation of control over resources, in
this case, oil reservoirs. See, for example:
John Chapman, ?The real reasons Bush went to war?, The Guardian, July
28, 2004, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1270414,00.html>
Moreover, no WMD was eventually found in Iraq after the invasion, in
any case not in the scale described by the American and the British
leadership to the public. Some of the evidence that has been presented
prior to the war was claimed to have been rather weak.
Troops Currently Deployed in Iraq
--------------------------------------------
There are 23 countries with military staff stationed in Iraq: Albania,
Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech
Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Italy, Japan,
Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mongolia, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia, South Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Here are the numbers:
Albania ? 120 (March 2006, ?Albania sends 22 troops to Afghanistan?, <
http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=93613>).
Armenia ? 46 men (March 2006, ?Armenia Considers Iraqi Force Reform?,
< http://www.postchronicle.com/news/security/article_21210482.shtml>)
Australia ? 1320 men (March 2006, Australian DM completes visit to
troops in Iraq , People?s Daily, March 7, 2006, <
http://english.people.com.cn/200603/07/eng20060307_248603.html > ).
Azerbaijan ? ?150 troops. 100 soldiers were sent on the 29th of
December 2004 to reinforce the 150 soldiers already in the country.
They provide security for local Turkmen populations, religious sites
and convoys.? (Wikipedia, <
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_force_in_Iraq#List_of_nations_in_the_Coalition>)
Bosnia and Herzegovina deployed a 36 man force to destroy explosives
and clear mines as of June 2005. A Bosnian trucker was ambushed and
killed in Iraq. (ibid)
?Czech Republic - 90 police trainers. (Reduced from 300 troops, a
small detachment of MPs, and 3 civilians running a field hospital as
of November 2003.) The Czech government announced the troops will be
pulled out completely by the end of 2005. In addition, a Czech worker
was killed in an accident in April 2004? (ibid)
?Denmark - Independent contingent of 550 troops including infantry,
medics and military police in South East Iraq near Basra at "Camp
Danevang". Denmark has lost two soldiers in Iraq: one to friendly fire
and the other to an IED. In addition, one Danish businessman was
killed in April 2004 in an insurgent attack. Denmark has plans to
leave Iraq in early to late 2006 at the expected request of the Iraqi
government, although Denmark has not laid down any firm plans and may
stay on if requested at that time. Iceland had 2 EOD experts, a
medical advisor, and some transport experts assigned to the Danish
unit immediately after the occupation began; they have since been
withdrawn.? (ibid)
?El Salvador - 380 special forces troops under Polish command (Central
South Iraq). New President Antonio Saca took office on June 1st 2004
and promised to renew his troop contingent's stay in Iraq beyond the
expiry of their commitment in August, saying that a further decision
would be made after the January 30th elections in Iraq. El Salvador
lost two soldiers in Iraq, one in a firefight with insurgents and the
other in an accident.? (SOURCE: ibid).
?Estonia - 35 troops. Two soldiers were killed in Iraq in separate
insurgent attacks.? (ibid)
Georgia ? around 800 troops (SOURCE: ?Georgia to replace troops to
Iraq - defense ministry?, RIA Novosti, March 17th, 2006, <
http://en.rian.ru/world/20060317/44486242.html>)
Italy ? some 2,800 men (Wikipedia, Op Cit.)
Japan ? about 600 (SOURCE: ?Japan to hold training session for Iraqi
officials? The Japan Times, March 17, 2006, <
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20060317b9.html>)
?Kazakhstan - 29 military engineers. One was killed (09/01/2005) along
with eight Ukrainians when a pile of booby-trapped munitions was
detonated by insurgents.? (SOURCE: Wikipedia, OP Cit).
?Latvia - 122 troops under Polish command (Central South Iraq). Latvia
lost one soldier in Iraq in an insurgent attack.? (ibid)
?Lithuania - 120 troops under Polish command (Central South Iraq). The
Lithuanian government has declared its intention to stay until the end
of 2007? (ibid)
?Macedonia - 33 troops (possibly special forces). In late 2004 three
Macedonian workers building barracks on American bases were executed
after being captured by insurgents. As of October 1, 2005, Macedonia
is planning to deploy 12 more soldiers. On 16 February 2006, 2
Macedonian workers were kidnapped from their vehicles in Basra.?
(ibid).
?Mongolia - 145 men in an infantry company under Polish command.? (ibid)
Poland ? some 1,500, but ?the present total of 1,500 troops will be
cut to 900 by March and the Polish force will shift toward the
training of Iraqi security forces.? (Reuters, Jan 2006, ?Number of
nations sending troops to Iraq declining?<
http://today.reuters.com/News/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=N01201621>)
Romania ? 865 soldiers (Dec. 2005 ? Romanian Military Newsletter <
http://www.mapn.ro/newsletter/newsletter%20ENG%2035%202005%20.pdf>)
Slovakia ? ?Slovakia - 105 military engineers under Polish command
(Central South Iraq). Slovakia lost three soldiers in Iraq (06/08/04)
along with two Poles and a Latvian, when a mortar landed on a truck
laden with munitions prepared for transportation to a detonation site.
As of 2005, Slovakia has an 85 man engineering unit remaining in
Iraq.? (ibid)
South Korea - some 3200 (March 2006, Donga.com , ?Zaytun Battalion
Winning Hearts, Minds?, <
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=050000&biid=2006031313338>)
United Kingdom ? some 7800 (March 2006, CNN, ?UK to pull 800 troops
from Iraq?, < http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/13/uk.iraq/index.html>)
United States - about 132,000 (March 2006: CNN, ?U.S.-led raid kills
civilians north of Balad? <
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/15/iraq.main/index.html> )
>)
The total is about 150,000. However, it doesn?t include forces that
are deployed outside Iraq, and more importantly, the 20,000 ?private
military contractors? (euphemism for mercenaries).
Casualties
------------
Unfortunately, the number of casualties has to be updated by the day.
Here is a good summary of the casualties: after having it verified:
Wikipedia, ?Casualties of the conflict in Iraq since 2003? <
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_in_the_conflict_in_Iraq>
(updated for March 7th, 2006).
See also:
Coalition Casualties
< http://icasualties.org/oif/>
Iraq Body Count
< http://www.iraqbodycount.net/database/>
Anti War
< http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/>
Plans for Reconstruction
-------------------------------
There are numerous plans to reconstruct Iraq, some are in open debate.
Part of the efforts to reconstruct Iraq focused in the democratisation
of the country, culminating in the 2005 elections for the Iraqi
Legislative Assembly. However, given the situation in the country, a
stable liberal-democracy seems at the moment difficult to achieve.
In addition to the attempts to introduce Western-style democracy to
Iraq, there have been efforts to reconstruct the physical
infrastructure of the country. The US has allocated $18.4 billion
dollars to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure. Here, many reports claim
that private interests (such as ones of Vice President Dick Cheney)
were entangled in the decisions to choose one contractor over another
to perform the reconstruction works. Because fighting is still taking
place, this effort, too, is so far without success.
You can find much information in the following:
Reconstruction of Iraq
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Reconstruction_Management_Office>
Steven Komarow, ?Iraq reconstruction plan draws criticism following
delays?, March 6, 2006, <
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-03-06-iraq-reconstruction_x.htm>
Iraq Reconstruction
< http://www.legalday.co.uk/current/iraq.htm> - a collection of articles.
Rowan Scarborough, ?U.S. lacked plan for rebuilding Iraq, report says?
, Washington Times, Febraru 28, 2006, <
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060227-102546-2603r.htm>
Ellen Knickmeyer, ?U.S. Has End in Sight on Iraq Rebuilding?,
Washington Post, January2, 2006, <
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/02/AR2006010200370.html>
,
Christian Henderson, ?Iraq rebuilding still a mirage?, Al Jazeera,
March 6, 2006, < http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/59686409-F4B3-4D6E-A520-A4A76FE49F1D.htm>
Insurgency
--------------
Much of the danger faced today by Coalition forces are by the
insurgents. These, while operating against the Coalition and the Iraqi
government, do not all thrive for the same goals, or belong to the
same forces.
A large part of the insurgents are those still loyal to the former
Baathist regime. Others are described as:
?? Nationalists, mostly Sunni Muslims, who fight for Iraqi self-determination;
? anti-Shi'a Sunni Muslims who fight to regain the prestige they held
under the previous regime (the three preceding categories are often
undistinguishable in practice);
? Sunni Islamists, the indigenous armed followers of the Salafi
movement, as well as any remnants of the Kurdish Ansar al-Islam;
? Foreign Islamist volunteers including the often linked to al Qaeda
and largely driven by the Sunni Wahabi doctrine (the two preceding
categories are often lumped as "Jihadists");
? Patriotic Communists (who have split from the official Iraqi
Communist Party) and other leftists;
? Militant followers of Shi'a Islamist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, very
active members in the April 2004 campaign, have later begun to take
over a more passive role, providing logistical and moral support, but
this may change again;
? Criminal insurgents who are fighting simply for money; and
? Nonviolent resistance groups and political parties (not technically
part of the insurgency).?
Some of these forces ? for example, Shiites and Sunnis, are also
fighting each other.
You can read more about the opposition at:
Iraqi Insurgency
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_insurgency>
Looking at the latest seventeen killed
(http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/2006.03.html),
a large part was killed by roadside bombs; others died in combat in
other ways (mortar attacks, suicide car bomb); and two have died in
non-combat circumstances.
Cost of the War
-------------------
The most important cost of the war has been already discussed ? that
of human lives.
However, the war has also a fiscal price. This is estimated in
billions of dollars. $250 billion, to be accurate. See:
National Priorities Project ? Cost of War
< http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182>
Accomplishments of the War
-------------------------------------
While the cost of the war was high in lives and resources, Saddam
Hussein, who was a ruthless dictator, has been toppled. Some pro-War
organisations claims that:
- The war has brought democracy to Iraq (see for example President
Bush?s ?State of the Nation? speech, or: Bush Outlining Plans for
Victory in Iraq, VOA, 17 March 2006 <
http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-03-17-voa56.cfm>)
- The reconstruction efforts develop Iraq. (see, for example, Elliot
Minor, ?Four Georgia Republicans pleased with the progress in Iraq?,
Associated Perss, March 14, 2006, <
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/14097726.htm>)
- Toppled Saddam when it was ?convenient for us? (See: Oliver Kamm,
?We were right to invade Iraq?, Guardian, March 14th, 2006, <
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1730454,00.html>)
See also:
Kathleen T. Rhem , ?Bremer Details Top Accomplishments of Post-War
Iraq?, June 21, 2004
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2004/n06212004_2004062105.html
L. Paul Bremer, ?Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator Opening
Remarks Press Conference 9 October 2003
< http://www.cpa-iraq.org/transcripts/20031009_Oct-09Bremerpresscon.htm>
Mary Laney, ?Our accomplishments in Iraq make for long list? November
28,, 2005, < http://www.suntimes.com/output/laney/cst-edt-laney28.html>
BlackFive
< http://www.blackfive.net/main/2004/06/the_iraq_you_do.html>
Current Situation
---------------------
The current situation in Iraq continues to be instable and violent.
The civil war costs more lives every day, with one of the most
devastating events, the Al Askari Mosque bombing (February 22, 2006),
where one of the holiest site for Shi?a Islam has been bombed.. You
can read more current news from Iraq here:
Post Invasion Iraq
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-invasion_Iraq%2C_2003%E2%80%932006>
Al Askari Mosque
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Askari_Mosque_bombing>
One World - Iraq
http://us.oneworld.net/section/us/latestcoverage/iraq
Yahoo! News ? Iraq
< http://news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=34&tmpl=fc&in=World&cat=Iraq>
New evidence of sectarian massacres in Iraq
< http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1594927.htm>
Further Info
------------
Kathleen Ridolfo, "Iraq: Three Years After Operation Iraqi Freedom",
Radio Free Europe, March 18th, 2006.
<http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/03/31808874-F27E-4C7A-B979-2D111B28784A.html>
?Reflections on third anniversary of Iraqi war? Miami Herald.com
<http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/14127817.htm>
Wikipedia - 2003 Invasion of Iraq
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Iraqi_Freedom>
Ah, and as for Page, Brin and 25 cents. Thank you, really. The thing
is, as you may know from reading the Google Answers FAQ, that Google
Answers Researchers like me are not Google employees (and I've never
met the couple); we are independent contractors who get 75% percent of
each question's price. I'll just note, that some of us depend on it as
a source of income - we are not a bunch of kids playing around, and
unfortunately, it is not easy - not everybody is so generous like you
;-)
I hope this answers your question. Please contact me if you need any
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