Iraqis remember Colin Powell's role in devastating 2003 US-led invasion

Many Iraqis expressed regret that Colin Powell was not tried for his role in the 2003 US invasion of their country before he died.
2 min read
19 October, 2021
Powell was Secretary of State during the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 [Getty]

The death of Colin Powell on Monday was met with regret by Iraqis who wanted to see the former US Secretary of State stand trial for his role in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Iraq was plunged into years of conflict and instability following the 2003 invasion, with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed by sectarian militias, Islamist extremists, and US and Iraqi government air and ground strikes.

Muntadher Alzaidi, the man who in 2008 threw his shoes at then-US President George Bush, who led the US's drive to war on Iraq, told The New Arab that he was saddened that Powell was not held accountable "for his crimes against humanity in Iraq".

On social media, one Twitter user described Powell as "one of the well-known criminals in the US administration", saying that he "fabricated lies for Iraq regarding weapons of mass destruction before the United Nations, thus paving the way for the aggression that destroyed a pivotal Arab Muslim country".

"He was one of the main reasons for what Iraq is in today," another Twitter user said.

Powell, who died from Covid-19 complications at the age of 84 and had cancer gave an infamous speech in February 2003 to the United Nations Security Council about the alleged existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, when he was Secretary of State.

His allegations were later proven to be false and he went on to express regret for the speech.