Rationale for the Iraq War
Videos
There are various rationales that have been used to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Iraq War, and subsequent hostilities.
US secretary of state Colin Powell holding a model vial of anthrax while giving the presentation to the United Nations Security Council on 5 February 2003
A United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq
President George Bush, surrounded by leaders of the House and Senate, announces the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq, 2 October 2002
Computer-generated image of an alleged mobile production facility for biological weapons, presented by Colin Powell at the UN Security Council. Absence of more substantial proof undermined the credibility of the speech on the international scene. Russian experts questioned the likelihood of such mobile facilities, which are extremely dangerous and difficult to manage.
The 2003 invasion of Iraq had unprecedented US media coverage, especially cable news networks. US media was largely uncritical of the war, with many viewers falsely believing that Saddam Hussein and I
Kofi Annan and Richard Perle have said the Iraq War is illegal, but this was never mentioned in the US media aside from Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN.
