American Diplomat: We Destroyed Iraq in the Name of Democracy
In a speech that drew significant attention at the Cambridge University debating chamber, retired American colonel and former diplomat Ann Wright condemned the 2003 invasion of Iraq, describing it as “a serious war crime committed in the name of democracy.” She emphasized that the U.S. intervention destroyed Iraq’s infrastructure, caused millions of deaths and displacements, and paved the way for the rise of extremist groups like ISIS.
Wright, who resigned from the U.S. diplomatic corps in protest against the Iraq invasion, stated that what happened was not an “intervention for freedom,” but rather “an aggressive war not authorized by the United Nations, ignited by lies about weapons of mass destruction that never existed.”
“Iraq Became a Wasteland Due to Washington’s Ambitions”
She asserted that the United States, allied with Britain and other Western countries, “destroyed an entire state,” leaving what she called “sustained chaos” in Iraq. She explained that the infrastructure—including electricity, water, hospitals, and schools—turned into rubble, while state institutions collapsed under policies of dismantling, uprooting, and imposed privatization.
She added, “The U.S. military entered Iraq without any real plan to rebuild the state. The clear intention was control of resources, especially oil, and reshaping the region to serve Western interests.”
Crimes in Fallujah and Abu Ghraib
Wright spoke at length about the abuses committed by the U.S. military, pointing to the attacks on Fallujah in 2004 and 2005 where depleted uranium and white phosphorus weapons were used, leading to increased cancer rates and birth defects, according to documented medical reports.
She also referenced the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, calling it “a black mark in American military history,” saying, “The images that came out revealed the true face of the occupation: torture, humiliation, and violation of human dignity.”
Iraq After the Invasion: Violence, Sectarianism, and the Rise of ISIS
She explained that the U.S. occupation fueled sectarian conflicts in Iraq by disbanding the former army and marginalizing entire social groups, which later enabled ISIS to expand. She said, “In the name of fighting terrorism, we created the conditions that gave rise to it. Iraq is still paying the price for those disastrous policies today.”
A Warning Against Repeating the Tragedy
Wright concluded her speech by asking, “Where was the International Criminal Court when we invaded Iraq without authorization? Why was no one held accountable? The world’s silence about what happened there is what makes future wars possible.”
She called on the new generation to “raise their voices against military interventions carried out under false banners while crushing entire peoples, as happened in Iraq.”