John GramlichAmerican airstrikes hit Baghdad 20 years ago today, officially beginning the war in Iraq. A new Pew Research Center data essay looks back at American public opinion before, during and after the war, from "weapons of mass destruction" to "mission accomplished" and, years later, to the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Link here: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/03/14/a-look-back-at-how-fear-and-false-beliefs-bolstered-u-s-public-support-for-war-in-iraq/
A Look Back at How Fear and False Beliefs Bolstered U.S. Public Support for War in Iraq
Twenty years ago this month, the U.S. launched a major invasion of Iraq. President George W. Bush and his administration at first drew broad public support for the use of military force. Yet the campaign soon left Americans deeply divided, and by 2019, 62% said the Iraq War was not worth fighting.