Background
In 2002, the United States government began to argue for the necessity of invading Iraq. This formally began with a speech by U.S President George W. Bush to the United Nations General Assembly on September 12, 2002 which argued that the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein was violating UN resolutions, primarily on weapons of mass destruction, and that this necessitated invasion.
The proposed war was controversial with many people questioning the motives of the U.S. government and its rationale. One poll which covered 41 countries claimed that less than 10% would support an invasion of Iraq without UN sanction and that half would not support an invasion under any circumstances.
Anti-war groups worldwide organised public protests. According to the French academic Dominique Reynié between the January 3 and April 12, 2003, 36 million people across the globe took part in almost 3,000 anti-war protests, the demonstrations on February 15, 2003 being the largest and most prolific.
The invasion of Iraq began on March 20, 2003.
Read more about this topic: February 15, 2003 Anti-war Protest
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