Why are troops in Iraq?
As of March 2010, foreign troops, including American, have been in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003. Also known as “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” this military action was officially concluded in May 2003. Since then, American-led coalition forces operating in Iraq have fought various insurgent elements who are opposed to foreign occupying forces.Weapons of Mass DestructionThe main reason that was used to justify the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was the contention that dictator Saddam Hussein was developing and hiding chemical, biological and nuclear weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in violation of United Nations sanctions that had been imposed on him after Iraq’s military defeat in the first Gulf War of 1991. The events of Sept. 11, 2001, prompted fears that Saddam would collaborate with terrorists to use WMDs against the United States and its allies.Dictatorship of Saddam HusseinWhen U.N. inspectors failed to find WMDs in the run-up to the military invasion, the United States
