The Iraq war: a conflict in the 21st century

On the 17th March 2003 George W. Bush decided to send an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, if he does not leave Iraq in 48 hours, it will start a military attack. During the early morning of the 20th March the US – British coalition started the air assault over the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Several dozens of Tomahawk missiles were thrown against some of the target places, such as palaces and military centres, were Saddam Hussein was supposedly hiding.

On the 9th April, after three weeks since the war started, the Saddam’s regime was finally declared ended. In the Fardus square, in the city centre of Baghdad, one of the largest statues of the dictator was demolished. This demolition is now consider as the symbol of the coalition triumph in Iraq, a short but hard war that took the lives of thousands of people, including soldiers, Iraqi civilians and also journalists.

Although the II Gulf War supposedly finished that 9th April 2003, the violence is still alive in Iraq and it will certainly continue. Meanwhile, militaries and civilians are continue being killed in terrorist attacks and Iraqi citizens are very far away from reaching the normality.