| The controversial war in Iraq started with the US-led | | | | The Iraq war has been controversial for a number of |
| invasion in March 2003. The main reason offered for | | | | reasons: |
| the proposed war was that Iraq has nuclear | | | | 1. The war was not legal and was completed without |
| capabilities and that the war would act as a means of | | | | the backing of the United Nations. Some political |
| disabling such capabilities - thus the war would | | | | commentators suggest this as a reason for wider |
| protect the interests of the US and further afield by | | | | international backlash out with the coalition countries |
| disarming them. Countries that were opposed to the | | | | that participated. |
| war, such as members of the UN security council | | | | 2. Not enough troops. The number of troops that |
| who did not back plans, suggested that such fears | | | | were sent to Iraq, and that are now in Iraq, is less |
| were not correct. Another reason given for the | | | | than half of what would be needed to allow for a |
| invasion of Iraq was that there was claims linking Iraq | | | | swift operation which would lead to less casualties, |
| to al-Qaeda - so far there has been no evidence | | | | according to a Rand report. Some objectors |
| linking them together in anyway. | | | | comment that this shows a lack of respect for |
| The invasion of Iraq was lead by a largely American | | | | human life and was done as a means of lessening the |
| force, with soldiers from Australia, Great Britain, | | | | financial burden of the war. |
| Poland and Denmark also playing their role. In an | | | | 3. Insufficient post-invasion strategy. The coalition |
| attempt to restore peace in Iraq, the Co-coalition | | | | governments did not adequately prepare an exit |
| countries attempted to establish a democratic | | | | strategy and a means of bringing peace to Iraq |
| government. Such plans have not went as smoothly | | | | according to many politicians and defence analysts. |
| as was hoped, and on-going violence has continued | | | | 4. Financial Burden. According to Reuters news |
| despite there being troops and a democratically | | | | agency, the cost of the Iraq war is close to $2 trillion. |
| elected government in place. | | | | 5. Iraq's oil supply has often been quoted as a reason |
| Since the invasion of Iraq, Saddam Hussein fled the | | | | for the start of the war. Such claims, if true, would |
| country in an attempt to avoid the consequences | | | | be much different from the original reasons cited as |
| that would come as a result of being caught by the | | | | the reason for the war happening in the first place. |
| coalition troops. Despite his best attempts, Saddam | | | | 6. Weapons of Mass Destruction have been been |
| was captured in December 2003 and was hanged in | | | | found in Iraq, which has made analysts increasingly |
| the same month the crimes he had committed whilst | | | | sceptical as to whether they were there in the first |
| in office. His trial and subsequent hanging were all | | | | place. If indeed they were not, then this would mean |
| completed under the Iraq interim government. | | | | that the war was started on a false premise. |