Ever since the Gulf War in 1991 Iraq has had poor relations with the U.N. United States and the United Kingdom. After the Gulf war The United States and United Kingdom enforced many economic sanctions against Iraq. Also the United Kingdom and United States patrolled Iraqi airspace, enforcing Iraqi no fly zones witch were set up after the Gulf War to protect Kurds in Northern Iraq and Shi'ites in southern Iraq. The no-fly zone over these areas of Iraq were contested by Iraqi Military planes and helicopters. Weapon inspectors were sent in to gather information on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program, and to enforce the 1991 cease fire terms. In the election of 2000 the republicans were looking to enforce the Iraqi Liberation Act of 1998. After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 the George W. Bush administration announced a War on Terrorism. The War on Terrorism relates to Iraq because many U.S. officials since the early 1990's have raised concerns about Saddam Hussein having ties with terrorist. One way Saddam was connected to terrorist was during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict he offered $25,000 USD for "families of suicide bombers." Problems escalated between the United States and Iraq in 2002-2003. President George W. Bush demanded Iraq end production of weapons of mass destruction, and that Iraq comply with U.N. weapon inspectors. Saddam eventually let U.N. weapon inspectors to inspect some sites, but numerous sites were made unavailable for inspection. On the weekend of March 15-16 2003 President Bush met with Prime minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom. Shortly after there meeting President Bush declared that "diplomacy had failed" in Iraq, and stated his intentions to use military force to disarm Iraq. On March 19, 2003 a force of primary U.S. and British troops invaded Iraq.

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