Leaving Iraq

About this series

As he launched the U.S. invasion of Iraq on March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush laid out America’s goals: “to disarm Iraq, to free its people, and to defend the world from grave danger.” More than seven years later, whether the mission has finally been accomplished is far less clear. In this series, Stars and Stripes looks at the costs of the war through the eyes of Iraqis and Americans and asks: What difference did we really make?

IRAQ TIME LINE

DAY 1: The soldiers

DAY 2: The wounded

DAY 3: The politicians

DAY 4: The widows

DAY 5: The hometowns

Read Stripes' award-winning series, "Ground Truth" and "Coming Home," as well as PDF pages of special sections from the Iraq war, and view selected videos.

Go to the archive page

Share your photos of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Iraq's 55 Most Wanted

In the 2003 invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition, the U.S. military developed a set of playing cards to help troops identify the most-wanted members of Saddam Hussein's government.

By the numbers

Check out important figures from Operation Iraqi Freedom

Long Goodbye graphics gallery

The vulnerable Humvee

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Don’t miss your chance to send your favorite grad a note of congratulations, printed in the pages of Stars and Stripes’ keepsake publication. The deadline for submissions is May 23rd.