US invades Iraq

The U.S. plan to invade Iraq began in September 2000 with a report by the Project for the New American Century (PNAC). Political preparation for war began in earnest during the period of weapons inspections in Iraq over the winter of 2002-2003, carried out by a team led by Hans Blix with the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1441. The U.S. and its principal allies, the United Kingdom and Spain, maintained a sceptical position on the results of the inspections procedure. The contention that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction became the central rationale for the invasion of Iraq.

On March 20, 2003, forces were deployed in Iraq belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq. Ground forces from Australia and Poland and naval forces from Australia, Denmark and Spain played militarily minor, if politically significant, roles (from Wikipedia).