Iraq War News

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) took place from 2003 to 2011. The invasion took place in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in September 2001. It was suspected that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that it would possibly transfer to terrorist groups and it was suspected that Iraq participated in the some manner in the 9/11 attacks. Proof of WMDs and it's participation in 9/11 is somewhat lacking.

A coalition of 46 nations was assembled under U.S. leadership. For countries (the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and Poland) committed combat troops to the initial invasion.

The invasion was launched on the evening of March 19, 2003. Helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) attacked enemy observation stations in the country's southwest. Using MH-6 Black Hawk Direct Action Penetrator and AH-6M "Killer Egg" attack helicopters, the 160th  SOAR quickly eliminated over 70 Iraqi observation posts. This crippled the enemy's ability to gauge the size and scope of the incoming ground assault.

The conventional forces launched their attack from the south out of Saudi Arabia. TF Viking, mainly consisting of the 10th Special Forces Group and the 17rd Airborne Brigade conducted operations in norrthern Iraq. TF Dagger, largely made up of with elements of the 5th Special Forces Group, staged in Saudi Arabia for an incursion into Iraq from the west.

 In 2011 OIF was renamed Operation New Dawn (OND) - signifying the end to combat operations and the train, advise, and assist phase of the war.

Resources About History of the Iraq War (2003-2011)
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)

Iraq - A Country Study.  Library of Congress.

Academic Info.  Directory of online resources for Iraq studies.

War in Iraq.  Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Third Persian Gulf War.  The History Guy.

Six Years in Iraq.  A brief history of the war. TIME.

Iraq War.  History.com.  Articles, videos, and facts.

The Iraq War Reader: History, Documents, Opinions.  Foreign Affairs.

Publications on the Post-Iraq War period are listed here.

Military Resources on the Iraq War (2003-2011)

CJCS, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) History Brief, 09-F-1449, Joint Chiefs of Staff, May 14, 2003, PDF, 15 slides. (internal document)

Fontenot, COL Gregory et al, On Point: The United States Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom: Through 1 May 2003, Combat Studies Institute Press, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas., 2004.
http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/OnPointI.pdf

Wright, Dr. Donald P. and Colonel Timothy R. Reese, On Point II: Transition to the New Campaign - The United States Army in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM May 2003 - January 2005, Combat Studies Institute Press, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 2008.
http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/OnPointII.pdf