Public Domain

Last week marked the 22nd anniversary of one of the greatest strategic blunders of the 21st Century United States. On May 1, 2003 aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, then President George W Bush made the following proclamation marking the end of ‘major combat operations’ in Iraq:

“THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Admiral Kelly, Captain Card, officers and sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln, my fellow Americans: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. (Applause.) And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country.

In this battle, we have fought for the cause of liberty, and for the peace of the world. Our nation and our coalition are proud of this accomplishment -- yet, it is you, the members of the United States military, who achieved it. Your courage, your willingness to face danger for your country and for each other, made this day possible. Because of you, our nation is more secure. Because of you, the tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free. (Applause.)

Operation Iraqi Freedom was carried out with a combination of precision and speed and boldness the enemy did not expect, and the world had not seen before. From distant bases or ships at sea, we sent planes and missiles that could destroy an enemy division, or strike a single bunker. Marines and soldiers charged to Baghdad across 350 miles of hostile ground, in one of the swiftest advances of heavy arms in history. You have shown the world the skill and the might of the American Armed Forces.”1

Similarly, GEN (Ret) Tommy Franks took a bow for what he saw as a victory. He now has a museum in his name called the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum (www.tommyfranksmuseum.org) and was the subject of his very own biography American Soldier. His museum webpage brags:

“The Commander in Chief of the United States Central Command from July 2000 through July 2003, General Tommy Franks made history by leading American and Coalition forces to victory in Afghanistan and Iraq—the decisive battles that launched the war on terrorism.”2

The US went on to infamously lose the Afghanistan war in front of news cameras in August 2021. The Iraq war was far from “won.” In fact, the ultimate outcome is still in doubt. The war went on to cost the US $1-$3 Trillion and goes on today under the guise of the Inherent Resolve Operation where US troops are still in Iraq in the year 2025. Over 4,400 US servicemembers and nearly 300,000 Iraqi civilians would die in Iraq, the vast majority AFTER Bush’s proclamation and the publication of Franks’ biography.

The US State Department as of 6 May 2025 has the following travel advisory concerning Iraq, indicating that 22 years later, Iraq is anything but the victory Bush and Frank described:

“Country Summary: U.S. citizens in Iraq face high risks, including violence and kidnapping. Terrorist and insurgent groups regularly attack Iraqi security forces and civilians. Anti-U.S. militias threaten U.S. citizens and international companies. Attacks using improvised explosive devices, indirect fire, and unmanned aerial vehicles occur in many areas, including major cities. Consular officers may not always able to assist U.S. citizens. The Department of State requires U.S. government personnel in Iraq to live and work under strict security due to serious threats.”3

With the escalation of yet another war in Yemen, the US is poised to enter into yet another endless war that likely cannot be ‘won.’ While these wars were begun by politicians, the US military leadership for its part committed its share of blunders and still has a flat learning curve to this day. Despite being beaten in both countries by insurgents, the US military trumpets the ‘brilliance’ of generals like GEN (Ret) David Petraeus who supposedly rewrote counterinsurgency doctrine for the 21st Century. Even after the fall of Afghanistan and the public demand for answers, US generals appear to have done little to no introspection on the war and have claimed almost no responsibility for failure. The only things the US generals did well was distort the truth and turn the page as if neither war ever happened.

America would be wise to stop funding endless wars in the Middle East and other places around the world with no real strategy or plan for victory other than ‘shock and awe’ and sound bytes for the news. ‘Trust us’ they say. Trust them we should not.

  1. https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030501-15.html
  2. https://www.tommyfranksmuseum.org/american-soldier.html
  3. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/iraq-travel-advisory.html