March 2003 in Iraq

us president george w. bush addresses nation oval office, march 19, 2003, announce beginning of operation iraqi freedom.



march 1 - post-iraq invasion

the united arab emirates calls iraqi president saddam hussein step down avoid war. sentiment later echoed bahrain , kuwait.
the turkish speaker of parliament voids vote accepting u.s. troops involved in planned invasion of iraq turkey on constitutional grounds. 264 votes , 250 against accepting 62,000 military personnel not constitute necessary majority under turkish constitution, due 19 abstentions.
under u.n. supervision, iraq begins destroying 4 of al samoud missiles.


march 2 - iraq destroys 6 more al-samoud 2 missiles, bringing total destroyed 10 out of estimated 100 missiles ordered eliminated u.n. u.s. continues dismiss iraq s actions part of game of deception. iraq indicates may halt destruction of missiles if u.s. indicates go war anyway.
march 3 - under intense american pressure, turkey indicates parliament consider second vote on whether allow u.s. troops use turkish bases military attack on iraq.
march 5 - post-iraq invasion

the foreign ministers of france, germany , russia indicate oppose un security council proposals authorize war iraq.
uk newspaper times reports united nations secretly drawn plan establish post-war government in iraq. although no consensus have reached among un security council members in regard military action, document indicates un leaders may consider war inevitable.
meeting of organisation of islamic conference in qatar fails produce statement opposing war in iraq.
saudi arabia deploys 3,300 troops kuwait in preparation potential iraq conflict.
students protest , go on strike in number of countries around world.
crossgates mall in guilderland, new york, dropped charges of trespassing against man had been arrested refusing remove give peace chance t-shirt. change of heart occurred after on 100 anti-war demonstraters marched through mall , threatened stay until mall backed down.


march 7 - post-iraq invasion

hans blix reports un security council citing iraq s increased qualified cooperation.
revising draft resolution put forth united states, united kingdom , spain week ago, britain proposes setting march 17 date iraq voluntarily disarm or face prospect of war.
the nikkei benchmark hit 20-year low record war in iraq appears closer, alleged stock manipulation nikko salomon smith barney came light, north korea preparing test fire mid-range missile, , new political scandal in party of prime minister junichiro koizumi came light.


march 8 - post-iraq invasion

kuwaiti workers have been instructed make 35 holes in fence between iraq , kuwait, , kuwaiti army positioning tanks @ these openings. pakistan daily times reported unikom had found armed marines in demilitarized zone along fence last month. cbc reported 230 un support workers have been ordered out of demilitarized zone.
the japanese government expressed support revised draft resolution submitted jointly united states, united kingdom , spain united nations security council sets march 17 deadline iraq. japanese media opinion polls taken last week indicate 84% of japanese people oppose iraq war.


march 9 - post-iraq invasion

in interview on bbc radio 4, clare short, member of tony blair s cabinet, describes stance on iraq reckless , , says resign if committed uk war without unambiguous mandate united nations.
arabnews reports saddam hussein demanded un security council lift embargo against iraq , denounce united states , united kingdom liars , strip israel of weapons of mass destruction , force israel withdraw palestine , occupied arab land .
albania says send troops join war against iraq, largely symbolic measure thanking united states , nato intervening in kosovo in 1999 kosovo war.


march 10 - post-iraq invasion

the white house press secretary, paraphrasing president, stated if united nations fails act, means united nations not international body disarms saddam hussein. international body disarm saddam hussein.
kofi annan, secretary general of united nations, stated if , others go outside [security] council , take military action not in conformity [un] charter .
french president jacques chirac declares france veto un resolution sponsored spain, united kingdom, , united states. resolution authorise use of force against iraq unless country proves disarmament march 17.
russian foreign minister igor ivanov announced russia veto un resolution , uk authorising use of force against iraq.
u.s. diplomat john brown, joined state department in 1981, resigned. said bush administration s iraq policy fomenting massive rise in anti-us sentiment around world , not support it.


march 11 - post-iraq invasion

iraqi fighters threaten 2 u.s. u-2 surveillance planes, flying missions u.n. weapons inspectors, forcing them abort mission , return base. iraqi officials described incident technical mistake u.n. inspectors. ewen buchanan, spokesman unmovic, said iraqi officials had been notified flight beforehand
according arab media, saddam hussein opens terrorist training camps in iraq arab volunteers willing carry out suicide bombings against u.s. forces if u.s.-led attack took place.


march 12 - british prime minister tony blair proposes amendment possible 18th u.n. resolution, call iraq meet benchmarks prove disarming. amendment rejected france, promises veto new resolution.
march 14 - post-iraq invasion

u.s. representative james p. moran, democrat virginia, forced out of party leadership post after furor on remarks interpreted saying american jews responsible possible war iraq.
key documents presented evidence should invade iraq revealed forgeries. documents stated niger selling 500 tons of uranium iraq. one, dated 2000, on stationery military government of 1980s , referred foreign minister had not been in power 14 years; bore signature of president of niger obvious fake. iraq s supposed acquisition of african uranium feature in colin powell s speech un security council in february , in george w. bush s state of union address. senator john rockefeller asked fbi investigate origin of documents. rockefeller expressed concern forgeries may part of larger deception campaign aimed @ manipulating public opinion , foreign policy regarding iraq.


march 15 - round of protests against iraq war takes place in cities across world.
march 16 - post-iraq invasion

the leaders of united states, britain, portugal, , spain meet @ summit in azores islands. u.s. president bush calls monday, march 17, moment of truth , meaning coalition of willing make final effort extract resolution u.n. security council give iraq ultimatum disarm or disarmed force.
largest co-ordinated worldwide vigil part of global protests against war on iraq.


march 17 - post-iraq invasion

president bush gives final ultimatum saddam hussein. conditions saddam , sons must leave iraq in 48 hours.
kofi annan, secretary general of united nations, orders un personnel leave iraq.
peter goldsmith, attorney general of uk set out legal justification invasion of iraq. robin cook, leader of british house of commons, resigned uk cabinet on plan invade iraq. uk , have withdrawn proposed un security council resolution on iraq. united states advised unmovic , international atomic energy agency withdraw weapon inspectors out of iraq. japanese prime minister junichiro koizumi said supports u.s., u.k., , spain ending diplomatic efforts against iraq. indicates no further un resolution necessary invade iraq.


march 18 - post-iraq invasion

u.s. secretary of state colin powell says thirty nations have joined united states in coalition of willing remove saddam hussein power, 15 quietly promising support.
naji sabri, iraqi foreign minister, calls u.s. president george w. bush war criminal , tyrant , despot , idiot . claims evacuation of unikom demilitarized zone violates un resolution of 1991.
approximately us$1 billion stolen central bank of iraq, hours after united states began bombing baghdad.
the united kingdom parliament votes in grant parliamentary approval invasion of iraq.


march 19 - president bush orders invasion of iraq. general tommy franks supreme commander in area. bombs begin dropping on military targets in baghdad. jørn siljeholm, weapons inspector in iraq, accused u.s. of lying evidence weapons of mass destruction.
march 20 - land troops united states, united kingdom, australia, , poland invade iraq.
march 21 - united states , united kingdom begin shock , awe campaign massive air strike on military targets in baghdad using cruise missiles fired navy warships, royal navy submarines , b-52 bombers; , laser guided missiles fired stealth bombers.
march 26 - 2003 invasion of iraq

un secretary general kofi annan says american , allied troops in iraq must used provide humanitarian aid iraqis whilst security situation unstable.
at least 14 people killed in baghdad after missile hits marketplace.
al jazeera television broadcasts images of 2 dead soldiers , 2 prisoners of war, whom says british.
954 paratroopers of army s 173rd airborne made combat jump bashur drop zone part of operation iraqi freedom.


march 28 - during coalition invasion of iraq, 2 a-10 thunderbolts usaf 190th fighter squadron fired on , destroyed 2 armored vehicles united kingdom s d-squadron, killing 1 british soldier, , injuring 5 others.




^ https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030317-7.html