And this is Steve Ember with THE MAKING OF A NATION, a VOA Special English Program about the history of the United States. George W. Bush became president in January 2001. Today we tell about the invasion of Iraq that began in March, 2003.
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VOICE ONE:
Islamic terrorists of the al-Qaida group attacked the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001. After the attacks, the Bush administration supported the policy of preventive war to end threats to its national security. Many of President Bush's top advisers had long supported an invasion of Iraq.
As early as that October, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld suggested that military action against Iraq was possible. Government officials charged that Iraq was linked to terrorist groups like al-Qaida. They noted that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had used chemical weapons and said he was trying to develop biological and nuclear weapons.
VOICE TWO:
President Bush gave his yearly State of the Union report to Congress in January two thousand two. He said some nations support terrorist organizations. He said the United States would not wait to be attacked by such groups. Instead, it would strike first at the countries that sheltered them. The president especially noted three nations as supporters of terror. He said North Korea, Iran and Iraq threatened the United States.
PRESIDENT BUSH: “States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred."
VOICE ONE:
Iraq had been defeated in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. The United Nations ordered Iraq to destroy all development and supply centers for nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. TheUN had sent teams of weapons inspectors to make sure Iraq was following orders. But since 1998 Iraq had refused to permitUN weapons inspection teams into the country.
VOICE TWO:
President Bush and his administration believed Iraq was making or hiding weapons of mass destruction, known as WMDs. He said if the United Nations failed to force Iraq to disarm, the United States might launch a military attack against the country. Mr.Bush began making his case to the international community for an invasion of Iraq in a speech to theUN Security Council in September, two thousand two.
Then the president asked Congress to pass a resolution giving him power to use military force against Iraq. Congress approved the resolution in October.
In November, Iraq agreed to permit the UN weapons inspectors to return. After more investigation, the leader of the inspection team reported to the UN in February, 2003. He said the team had found n
