SBS50: Biggest Story 2003

On the 19th of March, 2003, U-S president George W. Bush announced the beginning of the invasion of Iraq. Australia was the third contributing member of the U-S led 'Coalition of the Willing', but many opposed what the Americans called – ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom. ‘

President George W. Bush speaks aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln off the California coast on May 1, 2003. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Credit: AP

The coalition mission was to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people.

My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations, to disarm Iraq, to free it's people, and to defend the world from grave danger.

George Bush

In Sydney, more than 200, 000 demonstrators crammed into Hyde Park, before bringing the city to a standstill.

No weapons of mass destruction were ever found.

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