What were the various allegations made by the United States regarding Iraq that they said justified the war?

There were a number of claims made by the United States that justified the war in Iraq. However, it is important to categories these reasons into primary and secondary reasons. This is because the war was sustained by allegations that were different from what initially was considered as the main agenda. In this regard, the initial reasons for invasion are considered the primary allegations while the reasons used to sustain the war are considered secondary.

The reasons for invasion are outlined in the Iraq Resolution, and they include;

• The urgent need to deal with Saddam Hussein’s government which was known to be actively developing weapons of mass destruction (primary)


• To remove from power a regime that collaborated and sympathized with terrorists (Al-Qaeda)(primary)


• To stop human rights abuses perpetrated by the government (secondary)


• To help the Iraqi people establish a democratic government (secondary)

The argument prior to the invasion was whether Iraq complied with previous UN directives of disarmament and a halt in the production of weapons of mass destruction or a complete regime change. The US and other allies were of the opinion that the focus is directed at disarmament. After the invasion, the US and its allies did not find evidence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).