Iraq War Anniversary: Violence Down But Doubts Persist Over Political, Financial Stability (SLIDESHOW)

March 20 marks the sixth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Over the course of the war, at least 4,259 members of the U.S. military and tens of thousands of Iraqis have died. Violence, though still common, is now at a record low, reports the AP.

After six years of war and tens of thousands of deaths, violence has declined sharply nationwide _ especially in Baghdad _ although the Sunni-led insurgency remains potent in northern Iraq. An Associated Press count recorded at least 288 Iraqi civilians and security forces killed in February 2009, a 63 percent reduction compared to 769 killed in the same month a year ago.

With violence down and American support for the war waning, the United States is planning its withdrawal. In February, President Obama announced his plan to withdraw all combat troops from Iraq by August 2010, and his administration has already shifted its focus to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Check out this slideshow of key moments in the Iraq War.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • President Bush, seen in this image from television, addresses the nation from the Oval Office at the White House, Wednesday, March 19, 2003. Bush said U.S. forces launched a strike against targets of military opportunity in Iraq, describing the action as the opening salvo in an operation to disarm Iraq and to free its people. (AP)

Despite the violence reduction, Iraq still faces its fair share of obstacles, as the AP reports.

"The political process is full of tensions and contradictions and the situation in Iraqi will deteriorate if political progress isn't made," Sunni lawmaker Osama al-Nujaifi said. "There are still a lot of challenges ahead, including unemployment and the immigration millions of Iraqis abroad."

He cited the country's budget crisis after severe cuts had to be made following the steep drop in oil prices from a high of $150 per barrel last summer to just over $50 per barrel on Thursday.

"We live in a critical economic situation," he said. "There is a lot to be accomplished before we can express our optimism."

Check out the top five reasons why the international community should not turn its back on Iraq.

Check out what HuffPost bloggers have written about the Iraq War over the years.

Comments

[JoeBlough]

02:34 PM on 03/23/2009

We voted the Iraq "war" over last Nov. So what's the holdup? Can't we aim the war profiteers into a new direction?

[JXJASON]

12:20 PM on 03/22/2009

Getting out of Iraq was Senator Obama's promise. I have not read of any troops coming home...have I missed something??

President Obama is listening to military advice. I want him to listen to me, Congressman Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, Paul Kanjorski and others who want our troops home NOW.

It was my Congressman, Paul Kanjorski, who wrote a letter to me on May 26,2006 saying "these people have been fighting for over 2,000 years and going to war against Saddam Hussain was a big mistake."

Keep asking President Obama and Congress to bring our troops home NOW.

[Lillopa]

12:29 PM on 03/21/2009

What goes around comes around--do onto others what you would want done onto you--well we got it and do you think we are being now punished for it ???

[Lillopa]

12:24 PM on 03/21/2009

Iraq did not attack us period! Democracy cannot be exported and nations do not want it--some nations live and die for their faith first and always for 2,000 years---not being a fully Christian nation we cannot understand that because we do not take teh time to study their beliefs races culture etc--they do not live for materalism!!! On Fareed Zakaria interview with China Leader who asked Fareed---name me one country nation ... war won or war Americans have brought democracy to....Fareed as highly knowledgeable on this subject matter---could not answer "one"---China leader said your right!!--not one! China Leader continued with Afga and Pak and said it has been like that over 2,000 years fighting among themselves--they fight for their faith--Russia went home broke and over 1 million people destroyed there died--Asking what does America want ??? He said I know there is oil there--what does America want?

[Cambridge9]

11:06 AM on 03/21/2009

Anybody notice the 'halo' around the shrub's head in the front page picture. I've never noticed it before. I'm wondering if that was intentional - back then, or now.?

[outnow]

10:24 AM on 03/21/2009

We are facing a global economic collapse and all some people can worry about is Iraq. If there was no oil there, there would have never been the slightest concern about Iraq. In 1972 the literacy rate in Iraq was 97% For six years now, there is no uncontaminated water for children to drink. The sanctions from the first Gulf War onwards killed 500,000. The recent was killed 1,000,000. The first Gulf War resulted in 600,000 deaths.

In the second Gulf War,the museums were looted and vast corruption and massive unemployment exists.

I'll bet that most Americans have never met an Iraqi or had an Iraqi to their home as a guest. The closest most have come is Chalabi, the former darling of the neocons who were all about oil and the security of Israel.

The same effort in this country could have brought health care and education, built bridges and dams, maybe cured cancer and TB. Millions of lives would have been saved in Iraq.

[AliMB]

02:28 AM on 03/21/2009

Part II

I've read some comments on this thread tinged with cynicism. Surely the situation is far from “mission accomplished” (particularly in the provinces of Baghdad, Nineveh, and Diyala), and while pitfalls remain, the remarkable improvements in much of the country cannot be denied.

Are Iraqis better off today than they were before the invasion? Probably not. Will they be better off in 5, 10, 20 years? I don't know. When someone asks if it "was worth it"; the death, the destruction, the dissension, I ask myself: what is long term participatory democracy worth in human life to America? If I were to say that it would cost 10 American lives to make sure we can vote in 4 years, surely everyone would concur. But If I were to say 100,000 lives, many would probably hesitate. I guess the only universally acceptable answer is that nobody can assess what democratic governance is worth in human life only that historically many people have lost their lives to see that end realized.

I think that the men who went over to Iraq on behalf of our country deserve the highest of praise, because in spite of the tribulations, they put themselves on the line in pursuit of making Iraq another long-term utilitarian proposition. 6 years later, I believe chastising their efforts represents the epitome of moral bankruptcy.

So my salute goes out to all those who fought the good fight; always remember that history-makers are immortal.

[kimleehan]

11:30 AM on 03/21/2009

I think your missing the whole point, No ones questioning whether we should have a war on terror, their questioning Bush's conduct in that war. My Sargent in the army use to say "If your just I will back you all the way, but if your unjust than I will throw you to the wolves. Was Bush's authorization of the invasion of Iraq just ? Was his authorization in Guantanamo Bay just ?

[AliMB]

02:25 AM on 03/21/2009

Part I

In April 2007, Senate majority leader Harry Reid famously (or infamously) proclaimed that the “War is Lost”. In 2009, thanks to the incredible success of the “Surge” Strategy, Sen. Reid said that General Petraeus “will be written about in the history books for years to come”. These words capture the political drama that is Iraq; from the third rail of American politics, to a quiet success story that no longer breaks headlines (radi0active to many on this forum).

My brother is on his third tour in Iraq, and the changes he has witnessed in conjunction with Iraq's political development are dramatic. In his AO (the once v0latile Sunni province of Anbar), he went from taking a dozen m0rtar a t t a c k s a day to a monotonous and innocuous routine. The security situation is relatively stable, and the political process has taken a positive trajectory. But don't take my word for it.

President Obama, in his first press conference, said that “because of the extraordinary work done by our troops, and some very good diplomatic work done by Ambassador Crocker in Iraq, we just saw an election in Iraq that went relatively peacefully. And you get a sense that the political system is now functioning in a meaningful way”

[hortonhearsawho2]

12:05 AM on 03/21/2009

leave the Doubt in Dalls...

[rabiddog6708]

09:59 PM on 03/20/2009

I wonder if Bu$h sent Iraq a Happy Anniversary greeting card?

[duckfan00]

09:58 PM on 03/20/2009

Simply put the Iraq War was and always will be the worst foreign policy decision in our country's history...this image of Bush announcing our military invasion of Iraq is is stll such a disturbing sight....

[lornejl]

09:51 PM on 03/20/2009

Ick snay on the Iraq ay.

[Sparty1]

09:32 PM on 03/20/2009

I remember sitting there watching on t.v. when they 1st started dropping bombs. All I could do is shake my head. I knew this was wrong from the beginning and had no problem telling people that this was a smoke screen. I had to argue with my friend who's husband was a pilot in the military, she was defending this foolishness b/c Saddam was always flying into restricted areas in Iraq. I said that she had to be kidding me b/c that's not a reason to go to war.

[roshni]

10:07 PM on 03/20/2009

Me too - rethugs kept saying "he wouldn't lie about this." No one seemed to care that Saddam had not done anything to us and we were supposed to be fully engaged in finding OBL.

[lornejl]

08:52 PM on 03/20/2009

It's funny how an entire country can be swept under the rug.

[wsblake]

08:31 PM on 03/20/2009

and I've been on there commenting on antiwar blogs since then- I mistrusted and despised Bush-Cheney, never voted for them and was opposed to this obscene war for profit from long before the invasion- I was opposed to Gulf War for same reasons- of course I was villifed, berated and basically called every name in the book back then - when are the majority of Amerikcans gonna put down the friggin tv remotes, read up and wise up- BEFORE the fact and not after when it is far too late