The Iraq War (2003-2011)
What is the Surge?
What is the term that refers to the 2007 increase in U.S. troops aimed at stabilizing Iraq amid rising insurgency and violence.
What was the longest war in U.S. history?
The U.S. War in Afghanistan, lasting from 2001 to 2021.
What is September 11, 2001?
This was the date of the terrorist attacks that targeted the United States using hijacked airplanes.
What is Operation Desert Shield?
This was the codename for the initial buildup of U.S. and coalition forces in Saudi Arabia after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, aiming to prevent further Iraqi aggression.
What is the Balfour Declaration?
A 1917 statement by Britain supporting a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, laying groundwork for future tensions.
What are Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs)?
Despite being cited as a primary justification for the invasion, this alleged threat was never found in Iraq.
What was the operation launched to remove the Taliban and dismantle al-Qaeda?
Operation Enduring Freedom
What are the Twin Towers (World Trade Center)?
This New York City landmark collapsed after being hit by two hijacked planes.
What is the Coalition of the Willing?
Over 30 countries joined forces, including the U.S., UK, France, and many Arab nations. This wide international support gave legitimacy and strength to the military effort.
What are the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the Nakba?
The war that followed the creation of Israel; over 700,000 Palestinians were displaced, an event Palestinians call the "Nakba," or catastrophe.
What is ISIS (the Islamic State)?
This group's rise to power in the aftermath of the war marked a major consequence of the destabilization in Iraq.
What long-term challenge faced U.S. and allied forces in stabilizing Afghanistan?
Nation-building and counterinsurgency against the Taliban resurgence.
What is al-Qaeda?
This extremist group, led by Osama bin Laden, claimed responsibility for the attacks.
What is the Air Campaign?
The war began in January 1991 with a massive air assault that targeted Iraqi military infrastructure, paving the way for a swift ground offensive.
What are the Occupied Territories?
Lands seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War — Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem — still central to today’s dispute.
Who is Saddam Hussein?
This long-standing Iraqi leader was captured, tried, and executed following the U.S.-led invasion.
What factor significantly shaped U.S. public opinion over time about the war?
The high human and financial cost with unclear victory.
What is the War on Terror (including the Patriot Act, war in Afghanistan, etc.)?
In response to 9/11, this major U.S. government initiative began, involving wars overseas and domestic security reforms
What is the Liberation of Kuwait?
The ground war, known as Operation Desert Storm, lasted just 100 hours and successfully expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait, restoring its sovereignty.
What is the Two-State Solution?
A proposed resolution to the conflict envisioning independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side. Still elusive.
What is the Invasion of Iraq?
This controversial 2003 event launched by the U.S. and its allies fundamentally reshaped Middle Eastern geopolitics and global perceptions of American foreign policy.
What event triggered the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan?
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks orchestrated by al-Qaeda.
What is the reshaping of global security, foreign policy, and the long-term effects on civil liberties?
This is the most enduring impact of the 9/11 attacks on American society and global relations.
What is the Impact on Future U.S. Foreign Policy?
The war showcased U.S. military dominance and shaped future engagements in the Middle East, influencing everything from military strategy to diplomacy and intervention policy for decades.
What are the Humanitarian Consequences?
The ongoing cycle of violence, displacement, and blockades affecting millions of civilians — especially in Gaza — fueling generational trauma and global outcry.