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Preventive war
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===Iraq War (2003–2011)=== {{Main|Criticism of the Iraq War|Rationale for the Iraq War}} The [[2003 invasion of Iraq]] was framed primarily as a [[preemptive war]] by the [[George W. Bush administration]],<ref>David E. Sanger, "Bush's Doctrine for War," ''N.Y. Times,'' March 18, 2003 at A1</ref> although President Bush also argued it was supported by Security Council Resolutions: "Under Resolutions 678 and 687—both still in effect—the United States and our allies are authorized to use force in ridding Iraq of weapons of mass destruction."<ref>"Bush's Speech on Iraq: 'Saddam Hussein and His Sons Must Leave,'" ''N.Y. Times,'' March 18, 2003 at A 10.</ref> At the time, the US public and its allies were led to believe that [[Ba'athist Iraq]] might have restarted its nuclear weapons program or been "cheating" on its obligations to dispose of its large stockpile of [[chemical weapons]] dating from the [[Iran–Iraq War]]. Supporters of the war have argued it to be justified, as Iraq both harbored [[Islamic terrorist]] groups sharing a common hatred of the United States and was suspected to be developing [[weapons of mass destruction]] (WMD). Iraq's history of noncompliance of international security matters and its history of both developing and using such weapons were factors in the public perception of [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|Iraq's having weapons of mass destruction]]. In support of an attack on Iraq, US President [[George W. Bush]] stated in an address to the [[UN General Assembly]] on September 12, 2002 that the Iraqi "regime is a grave and gathering danger."<ref>[https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/09/20020912-1.html President's Remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, September 12, 2002]</ref> However, despite extensive searches during the several years of occupation, the suspected weapons of mass destruction or weapons program infrastructure alleged by the Bush administration were not found to be functional or even known to most Iraqi leaders.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7634313|title=CIA's final report: No WMD found in Iraq|website=[[NBC News]] |date=25 April 2005 |access-date=2009-05-24}}</ref> Coalition forces instead found dispersed and sometimes-buried and partially dismantled stockpiles of abandoned and functionally expired chemical weapons. Some of the caches had been dangerously stored and were leaking, and many were then disposed of hastily and in secret, leading to secondary exposure from improper handling. Allegations of mismanagement and information suppression followed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ford |first1=Dana |title=Report: United States kept secret its chemical weapons finds in Iraq |url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/10/15/us/iraq-chemical-weapons/index.html |access-date=18 September 2019 |agency=Turner Broadcasting System, Inc |publisher=CNN |date=October 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chivers |first1=CJ |title=The Secret Casualties of Iraq's Abandoned Chemical Weapons |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/14/world/middleeast/us-casualties-of-iraq-chemical-weapons.html?mtrref=www.google.com&gwh=279797D532B892B5066743757602314B&gwt=pay&assetType=REGIWALL |access-date=18 September 2019 |work=New York Times |date=14 October 2014}}</ref>
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