Publication

This case study examines the causes and conduct of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Particular emphasis is given to the efforts of the Bush administration to precipitate the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime; the planning and conduct of the invasion; and the subsequent difficulties faced by US armed forces in their occupation of Iraq. The author is critical of the Bush administration's lack of planning with regard to post-conflict activities and attributes this to "wishful thinking" with regard to the outcomes of the invasion. Finally, the case study examines the use of spy satellites to in both the run-up and conduct of the invasion.