Operation Iraqi Freedom

Operation Iraqi Freedom: "Two hours after a deadline for Saddam Hussein and his two sons expired George W. Bush opened the war on Iraq with a cruise missile strike on a home in Baghdad where Saddam was believed to have been along with one or more of his sons. The attack began shortly after 6:00 am on March 20, 2003 and was followed up with a limited invasion by Army and Navy forces moving into Iraq from Kuwait. These initial strikes were followed up by a heavy aerial bombardment and full invasion two days later."

Launched March 19, 2003

 * The U.S. offensive action in Iraq was officially named on March 21, 2003: "The U.S. offensive against Iraq, born early yesterday morning, now has a name: Operation Iraqi Freedom. ... Until now, the protracted U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf had no handle of its own. Instead, the Pentagon referred to it as simply an extension of 'Operation Enduring Freedom,' the name of America's war against terror in Afghanistan and elsewhere."


 * "Operation Iraqi Freedom began on 20 March 2003. President Bush declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq on 01 May 2003. The single worst day of Major Combat Operations was 23 March 2003, on which 30 American soldiers died. A total of 116 service members were killed in action during major combat operations, and another 25 died due to non-hostile causes such as accidents."

Note: The March 20, 2003, date is based on U.S. time, not Iraqi time.

Related SourceWatch articles
This is a master list of all SourceWatch Resources related to Operation Iraqi Freedom and the war in Iraq.

Quotes
"With a heavy dose of fear and violence, and a lot of money for projects, I think we can convince these people that we are here to help them." --- Lt. Colonel Nathan Sassaman, battalion commander, Iraqi town of Abu Hishma (December 2003)