Iraq+tw

The War in Iraq

At 5:34 a.m. (Bagdad time) on March 20, 2003 the invasion of Iraq began. The invasion of Iraq, led by U.S. General Tommy Franks, began under the code name "Operation Iraqi Liberation", later renamed "Operation Iraqi Freedom. 248,000 U.S. troops joined the team to go to war against the Iraqi's. The objectives of the Invasion was to end the Hussein regime; eliminate whatever weapons could be found; eliminate whatever Islamist troops could be found; and assist in creating a representative government as a model for other Middle East nations. On April 9 Bagdad fell, ending Hussein's 24- year rule. The Invasion led to the capture of President Hussein, who was later tried to in an Iraqi court of law and executed by the new Iraqi government. In late February 2009, newly elected U.S. President Barack Obama announced an 18-month withdrawal window for combat forces, with app. 50,000 troops remaining in the country to advise and train Iraqi security forces.