On this day in 2003, Operation Telic began, marking the start of the UK’s military involvement in the Iraq War. British troops were ready to invade Iraq after Saddam Hussein defied a final US ultimatum to leave the country or face war. This followed months of growing tension over Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programme and its defiance of UN resolutions. The US-led coalition, including British, Australian, and Polish forces, aimed to remove Hussein from power and ensure Iraq complied with international law.
The background of Operation Telic goes back to the First Gulf War in 1990 when Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait was quickly stopped by a multi-national coalition. Although Hussein stayed in power, Iraq was heavily sanctioned. After the 2001 terrorist attacks on the US, Iraq became a key target in the global War on Terror. The Bush administration, backed by the UK, argued that Hussein might have links to Al-Qaeda and was hiding WMDs, making Iraq a threat to global security.
Despite these concerns, Iraq was given a final chance to comply with UN resolutions. When Hussein refused, the US and UK launched the invasion on 20 March 2003. British forces initially focused on key locations in southern Iraq, such as the port city of Umm Qasr and the larger city of Basra.
The fighting in Basra was intense, with the 7th Armoured Brigade, known as the Desert Rats, and the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment battling hard to secure the city. The UK military experienced its largest tank battle since World War II. Meanwhile, US forces captured Baghdad quickly, leading to the fall of Hussein’s regime.
Though Operation Telic succeeded in removing Saddam Hussein, it came at a cost. The years following the invasion saw violence, insurgency, and political instability in Iraq. 179 British soldiers lost their lives between 2003 and 2009. The 2016 Chilcot Report criticised the legal justification for the war, saying peaceful solutions had not been fully explored before taking military action.
By May 2011, British forces had officially withdrawn, but the legacy of Operation Telic remains controversial. While it removed a brutal dictator, the aftermath led to instability in Iraq, and the failure to find WMDs raised questions about the reasons for the invasion. The war had lasting impacts on the UK’s role in the Middle East and international relations.
