tonight bringing us the context are amanda renteria, hillary clinton s former national political director and tom peck, political sketch writer at the independent. exactly 20 years ago today, us forces, with the uk and other allies, invaded iraq. the stated aim to rid the country s dictator saddam hussein of his weapons of mass destruction weapons that in the end were never found. it was part of the us s war on terror , started by president george w bush after the terrorist attacks of september 11th, 2001. let s remind ourselves those first moments of the war. on this day in 2003, the first raids were on the capital baghdad it was called shock and awe . it took the us just over a month to defeat iraqi forces and saddam hussain s regime collapsed. president bush declared iraq to be free. but rather than an end to conflict, it was the beginning of many years of bloodshed for iraq and the wider region. the failure to plan for the aftermath of the invasion led, in part, t
Against iraq, against saddam, which weakened saddam but really, really hurt the iraqi people. and the consequences of what happened was that there was a huge cauldron of violence and these jihadist ideologies were nurtured within it. and we re still seeing the consequences. we can now speak to samir sumaidaie. he was the iraqi ambassador to the united nations. 20 years, what are your reflections on the invasion now? it is 20 years, what are your reflections on the invasion now? 20 years, what are your reflections on the invasion now? it is deep and ve sad. on the invasion now? it is deep and very sad- we on the invasion now? it is deep and very sad. we went on the invasion now? it is deep and very sad. we went back on the invasion now? it is deep and very sad. we went back to - on the invasion now? it is deep and very sad. we went back to iraq - on the invasion now? it is deep and | very sad. we went back to iraq after 26 years in exile and being involved in the iraqi opposition