Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al-Quds Governorate: Today, the spatial division of Al-Aqsa Mosque began in a public and dangerous manner, and we warn of a religious war in the region
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: This brings the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition to 175, including 93 children
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: Gaza's hospitals recorded six deaths due to starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, all of them adults
Informed sources to Al Mayadeen: A new chapter in relations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency will begin within the framework of the new law passed by Parliament
Informed sources to Al Mayadeen: The talks will focus on the political aspect, and the agency's delegation will not be accompanied by any inspector
Informed sources to Al Mayadeen: An IAEA delegation will visit Tehran next week to discuss mechanisms for implementing the parliament's law suspending cooperation with the agency
Palestinian media: Herds of Israeli settlers storm the al-Aqsa Mosque and perform Talmudic rituals in it
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: 15 martyrs were transferred to hospitals in the Gaza Strip in the past few hours as the Israeli occupation continues its aggression on the camps of the displaced
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: 38 were killed since dawn on Saturday, as the Israeli occupation army targeted aid seekers at distribution sites
Palestinian Red Crescent: One martyr, several injuries among our teams after the occupation bombed the association's headquarters in al-Amal neighborhood, west of Khan Younis.

20 years on, US-led Iraq War atrocities revealed in numbers

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 20 Mar 2023 19:59
  • 4 Shares
3 Min Read

The numbers behind the US-led invasion back in 2003 are shocking.

  • x
  • 20 years on, US-led Iraq War atrocities revealed in numbers
    Smoke covers government buildings in Baghdad during a massive US-led airstrike on the Iraqi capital, March 21, 2003 (AFP)

Twenty years ago, former US President George Bush fabricated a lie claiming that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and launched a UK-backed “shock and awe” bombing campaign on Iraq on March 20, 2003.

Weeks later, on May 1, Bush declared that the "mission" was accomplished. However, the US-led war was in fact far from over. Weapons of mass destruction never existed, and destruction was all that the US inflicted on Iraq, with its repercussions still evident up to this very day in 2023. 

The numbers produced by the war are shocking ever since the US-led invasion was initiated back in 2003.

How much did the war cost?

The total cost of UK operations in Iraq since 2003 was $8.2 billion, according to an audit carried out by the Ministry of Defense in January 2015.

Initially, $3 billion were set aside to cover “the full costs of the UK‟s military obligations” in Iraq in the 2003 budget.

Read more: 20 years of war: How much did the US war in Iraq, Syria cost?

When combining the total cost of wars in Iraq and Syria, the US spent $1.79 trillion, according to estimates published by the Costs of War project. The figures also include veterans' care alongside Pentagon and State Department spending.

For veteran care through to 2050, the US spent $2.89 trillion. 

Related News

Iraq’s PMF law seen as test of sovereignty amid US objections

Notorious Palantir lands record $10bln contract with the US Army

Iraqi death toll

According to figures from Iraq Body Count (IBC), 209,982 Iraqi civilians were killed between 2003 and 2022. 29,526 civilians were killed in 2006 alone, making it the bloodiest year for the Iraqi civilian death toll.

Read more: Job of US Marine corps was killing people: Iraq War veterans speak up

The medical journal The Lancet estimated civilian deaths at 600,000.

As for Iraqi national military forces and national and local police forces, 48,719 were killed in the period between March 2003 and August 2021. 

On this day, 20 years ago, #US forces started to bomb #Iraq signaling the launch of their invasion of the country. Millions of Iraqis suffered from the ruthless violence of US forces, notably in the infamous #AbuGhreib prison. pic.twitter.com/UA4MWduXpp

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 19, 2023

US, UK actions led to killing their own

The number of US troops killed in the war, the US itself waged, between March 2003 and August 2021 was 4,598.

179 British Armed Forces personnel were killed since the war on Iraq started in 2003, in addition to 53 fatalities suffered by UK Armed Forces in the Gulf in 2003 alone. 

In the meantime, the death toll of troops of other Coalition countries between 2003 and 2021 was 139.

Read more: US tortured Iraqis in Abu Ghraib and got away with it: Reports

Displaced and left to seek refuge

3.9 million Iraqi refugees fled between 2003 and 2016; 2 million of them fled the country while 1.9 million were left displaced within Iraq.

It is noteworthy that the numbers do not account for the ones who were killed due to the destruction of healthcare systems, which caused as many deaths from malnutrition and diseases.

Read next: Same Iraq war lie used in Syria: Mekdad

  • Weapons of mass destruction
  • Iraq War
  • WMD
  • Iraq
  • WMDs
  • United States
  • George Bush
  • Saddam Hussein

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
An explosion seen during an Iranian missile attack on Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, June 13, 2025 (AP)

If Iran is attacked again, geography of response may change: IRGC spox

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS