The Iraq War Hostile_encounter was a protracted armed conflict Hostile_encounter that began Process_start in 2003 with the invasion Attack of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew Change_of_leadership the government of Saddam Hussein .

The invasion led to Causation the collapse of the Ba'athist government ; Saddam was captured Conquering during Operation Red Dawn in December of that same year and executed by a military court three years later .

However , the power vacuum following Saddam 's demise and the mismanagement of the occupation led to Causation widespread Dispersal sectarian violence between Shias and Sunnis , as well as a lengthy insurgency against U.S. and coalition forces .

Some U.S. officials falsely accused Judgment_communication Saddam of harbouring and supporting Supporting al-Qaeda , while others cited Adducing the desire to end Process_end a repressive dictatorship and bring Bringing democracy to the people of Iraq .

Despite Saddam Hussein offering Supply a $ 14,000 reward Rewards_and_punishments for downing a Coalition aircraft , no warplanes were shot down Use_firearm .

The AWB oil-for-wheat scandal ( also known just as the AWB scandal ) refers to the payment Cost of kickbacks to the regime of Saddam Hussein in contravention of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Humanitarian Program .

In the mid-2000s , it was found Know to have been , through middlemen , paying Commerce_pay kickbacks to the regime of Saddam Hussein , in exchange Exchange for lucrative wheat contracts .

According to U.S. President George W. Bush and U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair , the coalition aimed Aiming `` to disarm Removing Iraq of weapons of mass destruction , to end Process_end Saddam Hussein 's support Supporting for terrorism Terrorism , and to free Releasing the Iraqi people . ''

And while hundreds of chemical weapons were found Know in Iraq after the invasion Attack , they determined Deciding to be produced Manufacturing before the 1991 Gulf War , from years earlier in Saddam Hussein 's rule Control and were unusable .

Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and the central leadership Supporting went into hiding Escaping as the coalition forces completed Process_end the occupation Control of the country .

Operation Vigilant Sentinel was a response Response to Saddam Hussein advance of its military forces on the border with Kuwait .

Operation Vigilant Sentinel 's response Response quickly convinced Convincing Saddam Hussein to withdraw Escaping his forces from the Kuwaiti border .

The battle Hostile_encounter damaged Damaging the prestige of Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi government , who began Process_start extensively improving defenses Defending for the threatened major city of Basra .

The efficacy of the attack is debated Communication by historians , who acknowledge Statement that it brought Bringing back Iraq from the brink of nuclear capability but drove Bringing its weapons program underground and cemented Connect Saddam Hussein 's future ambitions for acquiring nuclear weapons .

Operation Red Dawn was an American military operation conducted Action on 13 December 2003 in the town of ad-Dawr , Iraq , near Tikrit , that led to Causation the capture Arrest of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein .

Tikrit has symbolic significance as the hometown of Saddam Hussein , and is also the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate .

In early 1990 Iraq was accusing Kuwait of stealing Iraqi petroleum through slant drilling , although some Iraqi sources indicated Statement Saddam Hussein 's decision to attack Attack Kuwait was made a few months before the actual invasion .

Iraq set up Reforming_a_system a puppet government known as the `` Republic of Kuwait '' to rule Control over Kuwait and then annexed it outright , when Saddam Hussein announced Expressing_publicly a few days later that it was the 19th province of Iraq .