‘George Bush misled our people’: How ordinary Iraqis endured 20 years of pain following the 2003 US invasion
20 years ago, it was former US president George W Bush’s words that stuck with Qahtan al-Khafaji., to free its people and root out weapons of mass destruction. His forces unleashed blistering airstrikes in the capital city Baghdad on 19 March 2003 that would change the lives of millions of ordinary Iraqis.
“Before 2003, Iraq was at least secure: we had a good system for education, health, architecture and industries. Now our resources have been robbed from us.” Al-Nahrain University, then known as the Saddam University, is close to the Republican Palace, which is said to have been Saddam Hussein’s favourite residence to host foreign dignitaries. The palace was spared from the “shock and awe” bombing campaign and would later be occupied by American forces.
While victory was swift for the US and coalition forces, the greatest loss of life came in the days, months and years that followed. An estimated 300,000 Iraqis were killed between 2003 and 2019, according to the, and the country has been beset by high unemployment, violence and terrorism, and years without reliable electricity or other public services.When Dr al-Khafaji and his family returned to their home in central Baghdad, they despaired at the destruction wrought on the city.
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