Answer:
1. It had not been proven that Iraq had acquired weapons of mass destruction.
2. Saddam Hussein had not attacked the U.S. and had no connection to al-Qaeda.
Step-by-step explanation:
President George W. Bush's primary justification for invading Iraq in 2003 was to eliminate what his administration claimed were Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. The United States and its allies argued that Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq at the time, possessed stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons and was actively pursuing nuclear weapons.
The Bush administration also argued that Iraq posed a threat to regional and global security. They believed that Saddam Hussein's regime supported terrorism and had links to Al-Qaeda, the terrorist group responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Additionally, they claimed that removing Saddam Hussein from power would bring about democratic reforms in Iraq and help foster stability in the Middle East.
The decision to invade Iraq was controversial both domestically and internationally. While some countries, such as the United Kingdom, joined the U.S.-led coalition, many others, including France, Germany, and Russia, opposed the invasion and called for continued diplomatic efforts and inspections to address any potential WMD concerns.
In 2003, the U.S.-led coalition launched a military operation known as "Operation Iraqi Freedom" and toppled Saddam Hussein's regime. However, subsequent investigations found that the intelligence about Iraq's WMD programs was faulty, and no significant stockpiles of such weapons were discovered. This led to criticism of the decision to invade Iraq and its aftermath, as the war resulted in significant instability and sectarian violence in the country.