2003 Invasion of Iraq

This article covers invasion specifics. For general information see: Iraq War, Post-invasion Iraq.

Military aspects

United States military operations were conducted first under the codename Operation Iraqi Liberation http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030324-4.html, quoted by Ari Fleischer on March 24, 2003, but was soon renamed Operation Iraqi Freedom http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/04/20030403-3.html, as quoted by George W. Bush on April 3, 2003. It was rumored that the name change was to avoid the first codename's acronym, O.I.L. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A51517-2003Aug12. The United Kingdom military operation was named Operation Telic, and Australia's as Operation Falconer. Approximately 100,000 United States troops and 45,000 British, and smaller forces from other nations, collectively called the "Coalition of the Willing," entered Iraq primarily through a staging area in Kuwait. Plans for opening a second front in the north were abandoned when Turkey officially refused the use of its territory for such purposes. Forces also supported Iraqi Kurdish militia troops, estimated to number upwards of 50,000.

Related Topics:
Operation Telic - Operation Falconer - United States - British - Coalition of the Willing - Iraq - Staging area - Kuwait - Turkey - Kurd

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The number of Iraqi military personnel prior to the war was uncertain, but was believed to poorly-equipped http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/26/iraq/main546241.shtmlhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/030326-lastchance01.htmhttp://www.cdi.org/friendlyversion/printversion.cfm?documentID=607. The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the armed forces to number 389,000 (army 350,000, navy 2,000, air force 20,000 and air defence 17,000), the paramilitary Fedayeen Saddam 44,000, and reserves 650,000 http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3325. Other estimates number the army and Republican Guard between 280,000 to 350,000 and 50,000 to 80,000, respectively http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/ground-org.htm, and the paramilitary between 20,000 and 40,000 http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/030327-fedayeen02.htm. There were an estimated thirteen infantry divisions, ten mechanized and armored divisions, as well as some special forces units. The Iraqi Air Force and Navy played a negligible role in the conflict.

Related Topics:
Iraqi military - Paramilitary - Fedayeen Saddam - Infantry - Mechanized - Armored - Special forces - Iraqi Air Force

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