Capture of Saddam Hussein

2003 U.S. military operation in the Iraq War

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Operation Red Dawn

Part of the Iraq War

Samir, a 34-year-old Iraqi-American military interpreter, who helped find Saddam and pull him from his hideaway in December 2003.

Location|

Ad-Dawr, Iraq

34°28′22″N 43°46′53″E﻿ / ﻿34.47278°N 43.78139°E﻿ / 34.47278; 43.78139[1]
Commanded by|

* Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno
* Col. James Hickey
* Lt. Col. Steve Russell

Target|  Saddam Hussein (POW)
Date| 13 December 2003; 21 years ago (2003-12-13)
Executed by| 4th Infantry Division

* 1st Brigade Combat Team

Task Force 121

* C Squadron – Delta Force
* ISA

Outcome| Operational success

* Capture and arrest of deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and two others[2]

* v
* t
* e

Iraq War (Outline)

Timeline

* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011

Prelude

Invasion (2003)

* Umm Qasr
* Al Faw
* 1st Basra
* Nasiriyah
* Raid on Karbala
* Haditha Dam
* 1st Najaf
* Northern Delay
* Viking Hammer
* Samawah
* 1st Karbala
* Al Kut
* Hillah
* Green Line
* Karbala Gap
* Debecka Pass
* Kani Domlan Ridge
* Baghdad

Post-invasion insurgency (2003–2006)

* Al Anbar
* Killing of Qusay & Uday Hussein
* 1st Ramadan
* Latifiya
* Capture of Saddam Hussein
* Spring 2004
* City Hall
* Al Kut [uk]
* Iron Saber
* 1st Fallujah
* Sadr City
* 1st Ramadi
* Good Friday
* Husaybah
* Danny Boy
* 2nd Najaf
* CIMIC-House
* Samarra
* 2nd Fallujah
* Mosul
* Lake Tharthar
* Al Qa'im
* Hit
* Haditha
* Steel Curtain
* Tal Afar
* 2nd Ramadi
* Together Forward
* Diwaniya

Civil war (2006–2008)

* 2nd Ramadan
* Sinbad
* Amarah
* Turki
* Diyala
* Haifa Street
* Karbala Raid
* 3rd Najaf
* Imposing Law
* U.K. bases
* Black Eagle
* Baghdad belts
* Alljah
* Baqubah
* Donkey Island
* Shurta Nasir
* Phantom Strike
* 2nd Karbala
* Phantom Phoenix

Insurgency (2008–2011)

* 2008 Day of Ashura
* Nineveh
* Spring 2008
* 2nd Basra
* 2008 al-Qaeda Offensive
* Augurs of Prosperity
* Abu Kamal
* Palm Grove
* Camp Ashraf
* US withdrawal violence

* v
* t
* e

List of bombings during the Iraq War

‡ indicates attacks resulting in over 100 deaths
§ indicates the deadliest attack in the Iraq War
This list only includes major attacks.

2003
1st Baghdad
2nd Baghdad
Najaf
3rd Baghdad
1st Nasiriyah
1st Karbala

2004
‡ 1st Erbil
‡ Ashoura
1st Basra
1st Mosul
4th Baghdad
5th Baghdad
Karbala & Najaf
1st Baqubah
Kufa
Marez

2005
Suwaira bombing
‡ 1st Al Hillah
2nd Erbil
‡ Musayyib
6th Baghdad
‡ 7th Baghdad
1st Balad
Khanaqin

2006
‡ Karbala-Ramadi
1st Samarra
8th Baghdad
9th Baghdad
‡ 10th Baghdad

2007
11th Baghdad
12th Baghdad
‡ 13th Baghdad
14th Baghdad
15th Baghdad
‡ 2nd Al Hillah
‡ 1st Tal Afar
16th Baghdad
17th Baghdad
2nd & 3rd Karbala
2nd Mosul
‡ 18th Baghdad
Makhmour
Abu Sayda
2nd Samarra
19th Baghdad
‡ Amirli
1st Kirkuk
20th Baghdad
21st Baghdad
§ Qahtaniya
Amarah

2008
22nd Baghdad
2nd Balad
23rd Baghdad
4th Karbala
24th Baghdad
Karmah
2nd Baqubah
Dujail
Balad Ruz

2009
25th Baghdad
26th Baghdad
Baghdad-Muqdadiyah
Taza
27th Baghdad
2nd Kirkuk
2nd Tal Afar
‡ 28th Baghdad
‡ 29th Baghdad
‡ 30th Baghdad

2010
31st Baghdad
32nd Baghdad
3rd Baqubah
33rd Baghdad
34th Baghdad
35th Baghdad
‡ 1st Pan-Iraq
36th Baghdad
37th Baghdad
2nd Pan-Iraq
38th Baghdad
39th Baghdad
‡ 40th Baghdad

2011
41st Baghdad
‡ 3rd Pan-Iraq
Karbala-Baghdad
42nd Baghdad
Tikrit
3rd Al Hillah
3rd Samarra
Al Diwaniyah
Taji
4th Pan-Iraq
43rd Baghdad
4th Karbala
44th Baghdad
2nd Basra
45th Baghdad

* v
* t
* e

Persian Gulf Wars

* Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988)
* Gulf War (1990–1991)
* Invasion of Kuwait (1990)
* Iraqi Kurdish/Shi'a uprisings (1991)
* Iraq no-fly zones conflict (1991–2003)
* Iraq air strikes (January 1993)
* Iraq missile strikes (1993)
* Iraq missile strikes (1996)
* Iraq bombing (1998)
* 1999 Shia uprising in Iraq
* Iraqi conflict (2003–present)
* Iraq War (2003–2011)
* Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006)
* Iraqi civil war (2006–2008)
* Iraqi insurgency (2008–2011)
* Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013)
* War in Iraq (2013–2017)
* Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present)

|  |

This article is part of
a series about

Saddam Hussein

|

* * *

Personal

* Early life
* Saddamism
* Family
* Uday
* Qusay
* Raghad
* Rana
* Sajida Talfah

* * *

Rise to power

* 1959 Mosul uprising
* Ramadan Revolution
* 17 July Revolution
* First Iraqi–Kurdish War
* Yom Kippur War
* Second Iraqi–Kurdish War
* 1974–75 Shatt al-Arab conflict
* 1975 Algiers Agreement
* 1979 Ba'ath Party Purge

* * *

President of Iraq

* Iran–Iraq War
* Invasion of Iran
* Dujail massacre
* Anfal campaign
* Halabja massacre
* Invasion of Kuwait
* Gulf War
* missile attacks
* Israel
* Saudi Arabia
* 1991 Iraqi uprisings
* 1999 Shia uprising
* 2003 invasion of Iraq
* Battle of Baghdad
* statue destruction
* Human rights record
* Al-Qaeda link allegations
* timeline
* Weapons of mass destruction
* Operation Opera
* International trips

* * *

Desposition

* Capture
* Interrogation
* Trial
* Execution
* reactions

* * *

Elections

* 1995 presidential referendum
* 2002 presidential referendum

* * *

Novels

* Blood Quran
* Zabibah and the King
* The Fortified Castle
* Men and the City
* Begone, Demons

* * *

* v
* t
* e

Saddam Hussein, the deposed president of Iraq, was captured by the United States military in the town of Ad-Dawr, Iraq, on 13 December 2003. The military operation to capture him was codenamed Operation Red Dawn, after the 1984 American film Red Dawn.[3]

The mission was executed by joint operations Task Force 121—an elite and covert joint special operations team, supported by the 1st Brigade Combat Team (led by Colonel James Hickey) of the 4th Infantry Division, commanded by Major General Raymond Odierno.

They searched two sites, "Wolverine 1" and "Wolverine 2", outside ad-Dawr, and did not find Saddam. A continued search between the two sites found Saddam hiding in a "spider hole" at 20:30 local Iraqi time. Saddam did not resist capture.[4]

## Background

[edit]

Saddam disappeared from public view shortly after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq began. The U.S. military labelled him "High Value Target Number One" (HVT1) and began one of the largest manhunts in history.[5]

Between July and December 2003, JSOC's Task Force 121 carried out twelve unsuccessful raids to find Saddam, together with 600 other operations against targets, including 300 interrogations. On 1 December 2003, a former driver divulged the name Muhammed Ibrahim Omar al-Musslit, Saddam's comrade, known to TF 121 as "the source" or "the fatman". Over the next two weeks, nearly 40 members of his family were interrogated to ascertain his location. On 12 December 2003, a raid on a house in Baghdad that was being used as an insurgent headquarters captured Omar. Early the next morning he revealed where Saddam may be found.[6] This intelligence and other intelligence from detained former members of the Ba'ath Party, supported by signals intelligence from the ISA, finally pinpointed Saddam at a remote farm compound south of Tikrit.[7]

## Operation

[edit]

Operation Red Dawn was launched after gaining actionable intelligence identifying two likely locations of Saddam's whereabouts code-named Wolverine 1 and Wolverine 2, near the town of ad-Dawr. C squadron Delta Force, ISA operators under Task Force 121, and the First Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division conducted the operation.[7] The operation was named after the 1984 film Red Dawn. The site names "Wolverine 1" and "Wolverine 2" are also a reference to the American insurgent group in the film. The forces involved in the operation consisted of approximately 600 soldiers including cavalry, artillery, aviation, engineer, and special operations forces.[8][9]

The forces cleared the two objectives but initially did not find the target. Then, as the operators were finishing and the helicopters called in to extract them, one soldier kicked a piece of flooring to one side, exposing a spider hole; he prepared to throw a grenade into it – in case it led to an insurgent tunnel system – when suddenly Saddam appeared. The soldier struck him with the stock of his M4 carbine and disarmed him of a Glock 18C.[7]

Saddam surrendered and offered no resistance; he was taken by an MH-6 Little Bird from the 160th SOAR to the Tikrit Mission Support Site where he was properly identified. He was then taken in an MH-60K Blackhawk helicopter by 160th SOAR from Tikrit to Baghdad and into custody at Baghdad International Airport. Along with the Glock, an AK-47 and $750,000 in U.S. bank notes were recovered from the spider hole.[7] Two other individuals were also detained.[2]

## Aftermath

[edit]

After the capture of Saddam, the 4th Infantry Division's area of operations in the upper Tigris saw its "first period of real calm".[10] CJTF-7 also saw IED attacks reduce by 39 percent. The perceived security improvements led CJTF-7 and the CPA to adopt an optimistic outlook as 2003 ended. CJTF-7 believed that the capture of Saddam and his money heralded the defeat of the former regime's insurgency. Using documents and materials captured in the operation, CJTF-7 units pursued "what they believed were the last vestiges of the former Ba'athist resistance".[11]

## Later

[edit]

In 2021 the Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik alleged that an anonymous Iraqi interpreter claimed that Saddam Hussein was actually found praying in a normal room in the farmhouse near the site where the United States claimed to have found him, and the story that he had been found in the spider hole was an American fabrication.[12]

## Reactions

[edit]

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### Middle East

[edit]

* Bahrain: The official Bahrain News Agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman who said [his capture] should restore unity and cohesion to the Iraqis, to build "a promising future in a prosperous Iraq enjoying security and co-operating with its neighbors to promote stability and development" in the region.
* Egypt: Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said, "I don't think anyone will be sad over Saddam Hussein. His arrest does not change the fact that his regime was finished, and it is the natural consequence of the regime's fall. The Iraqi regime had harmed the Iraqi people, and had pulled the Arab region into several storms."[13]
* Iran: Vice President Mohammad-Ali Abtahi expressed satisfaction, stating, "I am happy they have arrested a criminal, whoever it may be, and I am even more happy, because it is a criminal who committed so many crimes against Iranians." Abtahi joined the call for justice, adding, "Iranians have suffered much, because of him, and [the] mass graves in Iraq prove the crimes he has committed against the Iraqi people".[14]
* Israel: Prime minister Ariel Sharon congratulated President Bush on the fight against terrorism, and stated: "Today is a great day for the democratic world and the fight for freedom and justice and for those who fight against terror. We are relieved that this murderer and dictator can no longer stand in the way of the rebuilding and reconstruction of the country he destroyed."[15]
* Jordan: The government spokeswoman said she hoped that a page has been turned and that the Iraqi people would be able to assume their responsibilities as soon as possible and build their future according to their will. The first and last word concerning the capture of Saddam or his fate must be given to the Iraqi people.[16]
* Lebanon: The country was tense at news of the U.S. capture of Saddam at the weekend; people were surprised by how easily he was captured, however, it did not equal a U.S. military victory. "The capture of Saddam will not save the U.S. from the world's condemnation for supporting the greater enemy, Israeli P.M. Ariel Sharon", said Selim Al-Hoss, ex-Lebanese Prime Minister.
* Palestine: Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's government had no comment; however Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi, a senior Hamas leader, said the U.S. would "pay a very high price for the mistake" of capturing Saddam.[13]
* Saudi Arabia: Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi ambassador to the United States, stated that "Saddam Hussein was a menace to the Arab world."[17]
* Syria: Syrian Information Minister Ahmad al-Hassan advised Syria's position on Iraq was not based on the fate of individuals. "We want an Iraq that preserves its territorial integrity, its unity and its sovereignty."[18]

### Asia

[edit]

Afghan president Hamid Karzai welcomed the news.

* Afghanistan: The Afghan government welcomed news of the capture of Saddam, deeming it a warning to opposition leaders such as Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar.[19]
* Bangladesh: Foreign Minister Morshed Khan was quoted as saying, "We hope this will pave the way for the Iraqi people to have a government of their own, a government by the people and for the people of Iraq."[18]
* People's Republic of China: Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao hoped that the latest development of the situation in Iraq was conducive to the Iraqi people taking their destiny into their own hands, and to realizing peace and stability in Iraq.[18]
* Hong Kong: Sing Tao Daily editorialized: "The desperate capture of Iraqi former president Saddam symbolizes the bad fate of a corrupt dictator and also the best Christmas present this year for US President George Bush, but for the Iraqis who have undergone a baptism of fire in the war, the days of peace are still far away, and the road of reconstruction is as long and arduous as before." South China Morning Post editorialized: "With Hussein's capture, Iraqis can at last begin to close this brutal and tragic chapter in their history."[20]
* India: The Indian government's response to the capture of Saddam was measured and guarded. When Secretary of State Colin Powell called Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha on Monday to discuss the capture of Saddam, whom Washington had named a tyrant, Sinha is said to have reacted in a manner that did not echo the effusion flowing from the rest of the world. In the words of an official with the foreign ministry, Sinha "maintained a stiff upper lip". Sinha, in his brief conversation with Powell, merely expressed hope that such developments would contribute to the stabilization of Iraq. Powell told Sinha that the capture would bring "a change in the existing situation and lead to greater respect for the Iraqi Governing Council."
* Indonesia: In Indonesia, the reaction was muted. Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said the arrest of the former Iraqi president had not changed how Indonesia felt about the situation in Iraq. Indonesia's leaders strongly opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Indonesian leaders also said they hoped the capture of Saddam would help bring peace to Iraq and return control of the country back to its citizens.[21]
* Japan: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday said he hoped that Saddam's capture would lead to improvements in Iraq. He said the capture would be positive if it brings major steps toward the stability and reconstruction of Iraq. Koizumi's cabinet had approved a controversial plan to send troops to Iraq. He said he would continue to assess the security situation in Iraq before dispatching the soldiers. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda agreed the arrest was "great news," but cautioned it would not necessarily lead to peace. "The problem, however, is terrorism. I don't think the arrest of Saddam Hussein can stop all terror attacks," Fukuda said.
* Malaysia: The Malaysian government said the Iraqi people should decide how Saddam would be brought to justice on accusations of gross human rights violations. Iraqis should "be given the right to decide on the manner and procedure of bringing Saddam Hussein to face justice," said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, head of the Non-Aligned Movement. Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar expressed hope that the capture of Saddam Hussein would contribute towards bringing peace and stability in Iraq and the surrounding region and stated that the United Nations should now play a bigger role in achieving this objective. "With peace and stability in Iraq, we hope that an Iraqi government representing the free and independent Iraqi people could be set up to start the reconstruction process of that nation for the benefit of its people," he said. He said the views and inputs of the Iraqis should be taken into account in deciding whatever action would be initiated against Saddam. Former prime minister Mahathir Mohammed urged a fair trial for Saddam.[22]
* Pakistan: The response in Pakistan also was low-key. Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan described the event as "an important development" but refrained from offering further commentary or elaboration on its implications.[23]
* Taiwan: An hour after U.S. announced the capture, President Chen Shui Bian congratulated the U.S. for what he called "a big victory".

### Europe

[edit]

* Belgium: The Flemish-language newspaper De Standaard editorialized that "Showing degrading pictures of a prisoner, even if he was a cruel tyrant, does not increase the moral authority of those who overpowered him."[20]
* Germany: Chancellor Gerhard Schröder greeted the development "with much happiness." In a telegram to George W. Bush, he called for intensified efforts to rebuild Iraq.[24]
* Vatican City: Top Curia official Renato Martino, a cardinal deacon and President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, attacked the way Saddam was treated by his captors, saying he had been dealt with like an animal. Martino said he had felt pity watching video of "this man destroyed, [the military] looking at his teeth as if he were a beast." The cardinal, a leading critic of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, said he hoped the capture would not make matters "worse." Pope John Paul II did not comment.[25]
* Poland: Poland at the time commanded thousands of international troops in Iraq. Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdziński welcomed the news, but said the arrest could prompt retaliation from Saddam's supporters. "The coming days could be equally dangerous as these past days," he said.[18]
* Russia: Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said, "We think the arrest of Saddam Hussein will contribute to the strengthening of security in Iraq and to the process of political regulation in the country with the active participation of the United Nations."[18]
* United Kingdom: Prime Minister Tony Blair, President George W. Bush's strongest ally in the Iraq War, called the capture good news for Iraqis, saying: "It removes the shadow that has been hanging over them for too long of the nightmare of a return to the Saddam regime."[26]

### North America

[edit]

* Canada: Prime Minister Paul Martin congratulated U.S. troops, and sent telegrams of congratulations to U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He would state that he was confident that the deposed Iraqi leader will be prosecuted fairly. "What's important is that he be tried before a tribunal that is just, that is credible and that has international recognition," said Martin, "I'm sure that will be the case." Martin spoke to reporters from his Montreal riding, saying Saddam's capture would bolster reconstruction efforts in Iraq. "Now that he has been captured there's no doubt in my mind that we will now be able to move to a very very different level of reconstruction," he said. "This is a great victory to the coalition forces but the biggest winners of all of this will be the people of Iraq," he said.[27]
* United States:
* President George W. Bush said that Saddam would "face the justice he denied to millions. For the Ba'athist holdouts responsible for the violence, there will be no return to the corrupt power and privilege they once held".[28]
* Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld stated, "Here was a man who was photographed hundreds of times shooting off rifles and showing how tough he was, and in fact, he wasn't very tough, he was cowering in a hole in the ground, and had a pistol and didn't use it, and certainly did not put up any fight at all. I think that ... he resulted in the death of an awful lot of Iraqi people, In the last analysis, he seemed not terribly brave." Rumsfeld said the U.S. had not decided whether to classify Saddam as a prisoner of war, but that the U.S. would abide by the Geneva Conventions. More than 24 hours after his capture, the uncooperative Saddam had said little in his interrogation.[29]

### Oceania

[edit]

Australian Prime Minister John Howard urged the trial of Saddam.

* Australia: Prime Minister John Howard welcomed the news. He said the Iraqi people could breathe a sigh of relief now that the former dictator was no longer at large.[30]
* New Zealand: Prime Minister Helen Clark reiterated the New Zealand legislature's opposition to capital punishment, with such opposition extending to the treatment of Saddam.

### Africa

[edit]

* Kenya: The newspaper People Daily wrote, "The capture of deposed Iraq leader Saddam Hussein is, no doubt, a major victory for the United States and the coalition of the willing, chief among which is Britain. The curtain has now fallen on one of the world's most ruthless and intriguing leaders."[20]

### International organizations

[edit]

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* Arab League: Secretary General Amr Mussa said the Iraqi people should "decide the fate of the old regime and its old leaders," alluding to the discovery of mass graves after Saddam's fall during the US invasion in April.[13]
* International Committee of the Red Cross: The International Committee of the Red Cross says the US-led coalition in Iraq had given the agency the "green light" to visit Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi leader.[citation needed] Red Cross spokesman Florian Westphal confirmed that ICRC visits to the captured Iraqi leader would go ahead according to international rules governing the detention of all prisoners of war. He said discussions are under way as to how and where those visits would take place.
* United Nations: A spokesman for Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary General, said the capture "offers an opportunity to give fresh impetus to the search for peace and stability in Iraq".[citation needed] Former UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix said the Allied coalition might ask Saddam meaningful questions about Iraq's nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons programmes, "He ought to know quite a lot, and be able to tell the story; we all want to get to the bottom of the barrel".

## POW status

[edit]

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Saddam shortly after his capture

A Pentagon spokesman said he was given prisoner of war (POW) status as he was the leader of the "old regime's military forces."[31]

The spokesman, Major Michael Shavers, said Saddam, captured by U.S. troops in December, was entitled to all the rights under the Geneva Conventions. The International Committee of the Red Cross had asked to visit the former Iraqi leader as soon as possible. Shavers did not give further details about Saddam's conditions of detention.[according to whom?]

POW status for Saddam meant that the former Iraqi leader would be eligible to stand trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.[according to whom?]

There was controversy over TV pictures which showed Saddam undergoing a medical examination after his capture—footage regarded by some as a failure to protect him from public curiosity. A leading Vatican clergyman described the scenes as Saddam being "treated like a cow," and some sections of the Arab world were deeply offended by them. The U.S. maintains that the pictures were shown to demonstrate to the Iraqi people that they no longer had anything to fear.[32]

A senior British official said Saddam—who was being held at an undisclosed location and interrogated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)—was still refusing to co-operate with his captors, but the former president's capture the previous month was yielding results "far greater than we expected," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.[according to whom?]

The U.S.-led coalition had used documents found with the ex-leader to mount operations against Saddam loyalists, the official said.[33]

## Cultural impact

[edit]

Vandalism on Wikipedia where the meme was used

A British graphic from 2003 which depicted Hussein's hiding spot became an internet meme in the 2020s. The graphic depicts Hussein as a small red figure lying on its back in a spider hole, also highlighting other features of the hiding place including an air vent, fan, and entrance hidden by rubble.[34][35] The simple shape of the design later became subject to pareidolia online, with examples of the graphic's likeness in foods and other products being reposted as memes on social media,[36][37] particularly on TikTok.[34][35] The graphic was ranked as one of the best Halloween costumes of 2024 by the British lifestyle magazine Dazed[38] and the digital media company The Daily Dot,[39] and was regarded by the American monthly magazine The Rolling Stone as one of the best memes of 2024.[34]

## See also

[edit]

* Iraq portal

* Interrogation of Saddam Hussein
* Trial of Saddam Hussein
* Execution of Saddam Hussein
* High-value target
* Manhunt (military)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ad Dawr - Site of Saddam Hussein's Capture". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
2. ^ a b "Saddam Hussein captured". The Guardian. Associated Press. 14 December 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
3. ^ "Red Dawn imitated art". USA Today. 17 December 2003. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
4. ^ Freeman, Colin (16 December 2003). "From lavish palaces to a hole in the ground". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
5. ^ Younge, Gary (15 December 2003). "In a hole in the ground, luck runs out for High Value Target Number One". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
6. ^ Lewis, John E. (2014). The Mammoth Book of Covert Ops: True Stories of Covert Military Operations, from the Bay of Pigs to the Death of Osama bin Laden. London, UK: Robinson. ISBN 978-1-78033-785-2.
7. ^ a b c d Neville, Leigh (2015). Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military). Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. pp. 195–197\. ISBN 978-1-47280-790-8.
8. ^ Williams, Carol J. (14 December 2003). "Saddam Hussein Captured Alive". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
9. ^ "Capture of Saddam Hussein". Be Connected. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
10. ^ The U.S. Army in the Iraq War – Volume 1. USAWC Press. 2019. p. 239.
11. ^ The U.S. Army in the Iraq War – Volume 1. USAWC Press. 2019. p. 239.
12. ^ "Reports of Saddam Hussein hiding in hole "Fabricated"". 30 December 2021.
13. ^ a b c "Middle Eastern Reactions to Saddam's Capture | The Washington Institute". www.washingtoninstitute.org. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
14. ^ "SA govt avoids comment on Hussein". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
15. ^ "Israelis Joyful, Some Palestinians Shocked Over Saddam Capture - 2003-12-15". Voice of America. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
16. ^ "World leaders and activists welcome news of Saddam's capture". KUSA (TV). Associated Press.
17. ^ "Iraq Analysis: Ace In The Hole". CBS News. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
18. ^ a b c d e "Capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein: World reaction in quotes". BBC News. 15 December 2003. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
19. ^ Brokaw, Tom (15 December 2003). "Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai: Will Saddam's capture help find Osama bin Laden?". NBC News. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
20. ^ a b c "Saddam arrest dominates world press". 15 December 2003. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
21. ^ "CNN.com - Leaders unite in cheering capture - Dec. 15, 2003". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
22. ^ "Malaysia: Former Prime Minister Urges Fair Trial for Saddam". Adnki.com.[permanent dead link]
23. ^ "Asian Leaders Mixed in Reaction to Capture of Saddam Hussein - 2003-12-15". Voice of America. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
24. ^ "World Leaders Hail Saddam News". CBS News. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
25. ^ John Paul II (13 January 2003). "Address to the Diplomatic Corps". Vatican City. Retrieved 7 February 2007.
26. ^ "Blair: Shadow of Saddam removed". CNN. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
27. ^ "Martin sure Saddam will get just trial". CBC News. 14 December 2003. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
28. ^ "President Bush Addresses Nation on the Capture of Saddam Hussein Remarks by the President on the Capture of Saddam Hussein The Cabinet Room". georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov. 14 December 2003. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
29. ^ "Exclusive: Rumsfeld On Saddam". www.cbsnews.com. 14 December 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
30. ^ "Reaction to the capture". The Guardian. 14 December 2003. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
31. ^ "U.S. declares Saddam a prisoner of war". CBC News. 9 January 2004. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
32. ^ Horowitz, Jason (16 December 2003). "Vatican Official Says U.S. Treated Hussein 'Like a Cow'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
33. ^ "US gives Saddam enemy POW status". BBC News. 9 January 2004. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
34. ^ a b c Mack, David (12 December 2024). "The 29 Best Memes and Biggest Viral Moments of 2024". The Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
35. ^ a b Crimmins, Tricia (7 October 2024). "Why an illustration of Saddam Hussein's hiding place is a lasting meme". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
36. ^ Lynskey, Neill (15 October 2024). "39 Pics of Not Saddam Hussain Hiding Underground". eBaum's World. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
37. ^ Perry, Ally. "Bizarre New Meme Has Saddam Hussein Hiding In The Darndest Places". Cheezburger, Inc. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
38. ^ Jibril, Halima (28 October 2024). "20 of the best 'Gay Halloween' costumes we've seen on our FYPs". Dazed. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
39. ^ Good, Anna (31 October 2024). "35 of the best meme Halloween costumes of 2024…so far". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 14 December 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* "How Saddam Hussein was captured". BBC News Online. 15 December 2003. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
* Wilson, Chris (22 February 2010). "Searching for Saddam". Slate. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
* "Operation RED DAWN nets Saddam Hussein". U.S. Army. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2015.

* v
* t
* e

Saddam Hussein

Biography|

* 17 July Revolution
* 1979 Ba'ath Party Purge
* Iran–Iraq War
* U.S. support
* Anfal campaign
* Gulf War
* 1991 uprisings
* Human rights record
* Saddam–al-Qaeda conspiracy theory
* timeline
* Capture
* Interrogation
* Trial
* Execution
* reactions

Books|

* Zabibah and the King
* The Fortified Castle
* Men and the City
* Begone, Demons
* Blood Quran

Propaganda|

* Killing babies
* Alleged shredder
* Jumana Hanna

Family|

* Father: Hussein 'Abid al-Majid
* Mother: Subha Tulfah al-Mussallat
* Half-brothers: Watban, Sabawi, and Barzan
* Wives: Sajida Talfah and Samira Shahbandar
* Uncle and Father-in-Law: Khairallah Talfah
* Sons: Uday and Qusay
* Daughters: Rana, Raghad, and Hala
* Grandchildren: Mustapha Hussein

Media|

* Al-ayyam al-tawila
* House of Saddam
* South Park
* The Devil's Double

Category:Saddam Hussein

* v
* t
* e

Iraq War (2003–2011)

Beginning of the Iraqi conflict

Prelude

| Background|

| Pre-1990|

* 17 July Revolution
* Iranian Revolution
* 1979 Ba'ath Party Purge
* Iran–Iraq War
* British / U.S. support for Iraq
* Chemical attacks against Iran
* Anfal campaign
* Iran–Contra affair

|

1990–2003|

* Gulf War
* Invasion of Kuwait
* Nayirah testimony
* Sanctions against Iraq
* No-fly zones
* 1991 uprisings
* UNSCOM
* Arms-to-Iraq affair
* Oil-for-Food Programme
* Investigations
* September 11 attacks
* Aftermath
* War on terror
* 2001 anthrax attacks
* U.S. War in Afghanistan
* Invasion

Rationale|

* WMD claims
* Yellowcake uranium
* Aluminum tubes
* Biological weapons
* Chemical weapons
* "Curveball"
* Mobile weapon labs
* Saddam–al-Qaeda conspiracy theory
* Anthrax claims
* Prague
* Ricin claims
* Oil as a possible rationale

Issues|

* American imperialism
* Bush Doctrine
* Wolfowitz Doctrine
* Colin Powell's UN presentation
* Disarmament crisis
* UNMOVIC
* Failed peace initiatives
* Iraq resolution / UK parliament's support for invasion
* Iraqi–Kurdish conflict
* Legality
* Legitimacy of the invasion
* Media coverage
* Military analyst program
* Rapid response operation
* Saddam's alleged shredder
* Preemptive war
* Saddam Hussein and human rights

Dossiers
and memos|

* Habbush letter
* Downing Street memo
* September Dossier
* Vilnius letter
* Letter of the eight
* Bush–Blair 2003 memo
* February Dossier
* Bush–Aznar memo

Overview

| Key events|

* Invasion (2003)
* Occupation (2003–2011)
* Insurgency
* 2003–06 period
* Anbar campaign
* Fallujah
* Capture of Saddam Hussein
* Interrogation
* Trial
* Execution / Reactions
* 2006 al-Askari mosque bombing
* Civil war (2006–08)
* 2007 U.S. troop surge
* timeline
* U.S. withdrawal
* Status of forces agreement

|

Invasion
(2003)|

* Timeline
* Preparations for invasion
* Multi-National Force
* Battle of Nasiriyah
* Fall of Baghdad
* Battle of Debecka Pass
* Firdos Square statue
* Mission Accomplished speech
* US public opinion

Occupation
(2003–2011)|

* Occupation of Ramadi
* De-Ba'athification
* 100 Orders
* CPA Order 2
* CPA Order 17
* U.S. military bases
* Blackwater
* Reconstruction
* Development Fund
* Economic reform
* UNAMI
* Al Qa'qaa high explosives
* U.S. kill or capture strategy

| Replacement
governments|

* Coalition Provisional Authority
* Iraqi Governing Council
* Interim Government
* 2005 parliamentary elections
* Transitional Government
* Constitution
* Ratification

|

Participants

| Countries|

* Australia
* Ba'athist Iraq
* Denmark
* El Salvador
* Georgia
* Iran
* Italy
* Japan
* Poland
* South Korea
* Thailand
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* United States

|

Insurgent
groups|

| Sunni
groups|

* Islamic Army in Iraq
* 1920 Revolution Brigades
* Jaish al-Rashideen
* Islamic Front for the Iraqi Resistance
* Hamas of Iraq
* Jeish Muhammad
* Mujahideen Shura Council
* Islamic State of Iraq
* Al-Qaeda in Iraq
* Jaish al-Ta'ifa al-Mansurah
* Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad
* Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna
* Ansar al-Islam in Kurdistan
* Black Banner Organization
* Wakefulness and Holy War
* Abu Theeb's group
* Abu Bakr Al-Salafi Army
* Mujahideen Army

|

Shia
groups|

* Mahdi Army
* Abu Deraa's militia
* Badr Organization
* Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq
* Sheibani Network
* Soldiers of Heaven
* Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
* Promised Day Brigade
* Kata'ib Hezbollah

Ba'ath
loyalists|

* Fedayeen Saddam
* Al-Awda
* Popular Army
* Al-Abud Network
* Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order
* Supreme Command for Jihad and Liberation

Battles and operations

| Operations|

| 2003|

* Ancient Babylon
* Catalyst
* Desert Scorpion
* Desert Thrust
* Falconer
* Iron Hammer
* Iron Justice
* Ivy Blizzard
* Northern Delay
* Airborne Dragon
* Panther Squeeze
* Peninsula Strike
* Planet X
* Capture of Saddam Hussein (Red Dawn)
* Telic

|

2004|

* Baton Rouge
* Bulldog Mammoth
* Iron Saber
* New Dawn (Al Fajr)
* Phantom Fury
* Phantom Linebacker
* Plymouth Rock
* Vigilant Resolve
* Warrior's Rage

2005|

* Cyclone
* Iron Hammer
* Matador
* New Market
* Spear (Romhe)
* Squeeze Play
* Steel Curtain

2006|

* Al Majid
* Gaugamela
* Iron Triangle
* Sinbad
* Swarmer
* Together Forward

2007|

* Alljah
* Arbead II
* Ardennes
* Black Eagle
* Commando Eagle
* Forsythe Park
* Imposing Law
* Leyte Gulf
* Marne Avalanche
* Marne Torch
* Mawtini
* Phantom Strike
* Phantom Thunder
* Saber Guardian
* Sledgehammer
* Stampede 3
* Tiger Hammer
* Valiant Guardian (Harris Ba'sil)

2008|

* Defeat Al Qaeda in the North
* Augurs of Prosperity
* Phantom Phoenix

2009–2011|

* New Dawn

Battles|

| 2003|

| Invasion|

* Umm Qasr
* Al Faw
* Basra I
* Nasiriyah
* Karbala I
* Haditha Dam
* Najaf I
* Samawah I
* Karbala II
* Al Kut
* Hillah
* Karbala Gap
* Debecka Pass
* Baghdad I

|

* Majar al-Kabir
* Ramadan Offensive

2004|

* Spring fighting
* Karbala City Hall
* Fallujah I
* Siege of Sadr City
* Ramadi I
* Good Friday ambush
* Baghdad International Airport
* Husaybah
* Danny Boy
* Najaf II
* CIMIC House
* Samarra
* Fallujah II
* Mosul

2005|

* Lake Tharthar
* Abu Ghraib
* Al-Qa'im
* Hit convoy
* Haditha
* Tal Afar

2006|

* Baghdad II
* Ramadi II
* Diwaniya
* Al Rumaythah
* Amarah
* Turki

2007|

* Haifa Street
* Karbala provincial HQ
* Najaf III
* Shurta Nasir
* Basra II
* Baqubah
* Route Bismarck
* Donkey Island
* Karbala III

2008|

* Spring fighting
* Iraqi Day of Ashura
* Nineveh
* Basra III
* Al-Qaeda offensive

2009–2011|

* Palm Grove (2010)

Related events|

* Turkish incursions into northern Iraq
* 2007
* 2008
* Abu Kamal raid

War crimes

| Occupation forces|

| Killings and
massacres|

* During the 2003 invasion
* U.S. killings of journalists
* Fallujah killings
* Killing of Nadhem Abdullah (2003)
* Murder of Muhamad Husain Kadir
* Mukaradeeb wedding party massacre (2004)
* Haifa Street helicopter incident (2005)
* Tal Afar shootings (2005)
* Basra prison incident (2005)
* Haditha massacre (2005)
* Mahmudiyah rape and killings (2006)
* Ishaqi massacre (2006)
* Baghdad detainee killings (2006)
* Hamdania incident (2006)
* Iraqi bodyguard killing (2006)
* Iron Triangle Murders (2006)
* Baghdad airstrike (2007)
* Nisour Square massacre (2007)
* Iraq War Logs (2010)

|

Chemical
weapons|

* Use of white phosphorus by the United States (2004–05)

Torture
and abuse|

* Abu Ghraib prison (2003–06)
* Camp Bucca (2003–09)
* Camp Nama (2003–04)
* Balad Air Base (2003–2011)
* Death of Nagem Hatab (2003)
* Killing of Baha Mousa (2003)
* Death of Abed Hamed Mowhoush (2003)
* Killing of Manadel al-Jamadi (2003)
* Death of Fashad Mohamed (2004)

§ Other killings
and bombings|

| 2003|

* Jordanian embassy
* Canal Hotel
* Imam Ali mosque bombing
* Baghdad October 2003

|

2004|

* Erbil 2004
* Ashura massacre
* Basra 2004
* Mosul 2004
* 2004 church bombings
* Baghdad bombings
* 14 September
* 30 September
* Karbala and Najaf bombings
* Baqubah 2004
* Kufa mosque bombing

2005|

* Al Hillah 2005
* Erbil 2005
* Musayyib bombing
* Baghdad bombings
* August
* September
* Balad 2005
* Khanaqin bombings

2006|

* Karbala and Ramadi
* Al-Askari mosque 2006
* Buratha mosque bombing
* Sadr City bombings
* July
* November
* Hayy Al-Jihad massacre

2007|

* Mustansiriya University
* Baghdad bombings
* 22 January
* 3 February
* 12 February
* 18 February
* 29 March
* 18 April
* 26 July
* 1 August
* Al Hillah 2007
* Tal Afar 2007
* Iraqi Parliament
* 2007 Karbala mosque bombings
* Massacres of Yazidis
* April massacre
* Qahtaniyah bombings
* Makhmour
* Abu Sayda
* Al-Askari mosque 2007
* Al-Khilani mosque bombing
* Amirli bombing
* Kirkuk 2007
* Al Amarah bombings

2008|

* Bagdad bombings
* February
* March
* June
* Balad 2008
* Karbala 2008
* Al-Karmah
* Dujail bombing
* Balad Ruz bombing
* Attacks on Christians in Mosul

2009|

* Bagdad bombings
* March
* 6 April
* June
* August
* October
* December
* Baghdad–Miqdadiyah
* Taza bombing
* Kirkuk 2009
* Tal Afar 2009

2010|

* Nationwide attacks
* 10 May
* 25 August
* Bagdad bombings
* January
* February
* April
* August
* September
* November
* Baqubah 2010
* Baghdad church massacre

2011|

* Nationwide attacks
* January
* August
* Bagdad bombings
* January
* August
* October
* Arba'een bombings
* Tikrit assault
* Al Hillah 2011
* Samarra bombing
* Al Diwaniyah bombing
* Taji bombings
* Karbala 2011
* Basra 2011

Other war crimes|

* Raid on Camp Ashraf (2011)
* Archaeological looting
* Chlorine bombings
* Torture by the Wolf Brigade (2004–2011)

Prosecution|

* United States and the International Criminal Court
* Hague Invasion Act
* Prosecution for the 2003 invasion
* Abtan v. Blackwater
* Hamdan v. Rumsfeld
* Saleh v. Bush
* Taguba Report

§ All attacks listed in this group were either committed by insurgents, or have unknown perpetrators

Impact

| General|

* Casualties
* Iraq Body Count
* Iraq Family Health Survey
* Lancet surveys
* ORB survey
* Damage to Baghdad
* Al-Aimmah Bridge disaster
* Human rights
* Humanitarian crisis
* 2007 cholera outbreak
* Financial cost
* Refugees
* Iraqi Christians
* Mandaeans
* Violence against Iraqi academics

|

Political
controversies|

* Post-invasion WMD conjecture
* Iraq scandal in Finland
* Dixie Chicks comments
* Plame affair
* Hood event
* Death of David Kelly
* Hutton Inquiry
* Kidnapping of Angelo dela Cruz
* 2004 document leak
* Al Jazeera bombing memo
* Scott Thomas Beauchamp controversy
* MoveOn.org ad controversy
* Six Days in Fallujah
* Role of Canada
* War resisters

| Investigations|

* Senate Report on WMD Intelligence
* Duelfer Report
* Chilcot Inquiry

|

Reactions|

| Pre-war|

* Pre-war international reactions
* Khuy Voyne!
* Saddam Hussein interview

|

* Views on the invasion
* U.S. public opinion
* Opposition
* Criticism
* United Nations
* Oprah's Anti-war series
* Iraqi map pendant
* Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan
* Photo Op
* A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq
* Bush shoe-throwing incident

Protests|

* Halloween 2002
* February 15, 2003
* March 20, 2003
* Bring Them Home Now Tour
* January 20, 2005
* September 24, 2005
* January 27, 2007
* March 17, 2007
* 2007 Port of Tacoma
* September 15, 2007
* March 19, 2008

Aftermath in Iraq|

* The rise of ISIL
* Insurgency (2011–13)
* War in Iraq (2013–17)
* War against ISIL (2014–present)
* U.S.-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)
* Insurgency (2017–present)

Miscellaneous

| Terminology|

* Axis of evil
* Outposts of tyranny
* "Baghdad Bob"
* "Chemical Ali"
* Coalition of the willing
* Dead checking
* Embedded journalism
* Freedom fries
* Friedman Unit
* "Mother of All Bombs"
* "Mrs. Anthrax"
* Old Europe and New Europe
* Regime change
* Shock and awe
* "Sixteen Words"
* "Smoking gun / mushroom cloud"
* Star Spangled Ice Cream
* Strategic reset
* "There are unknown unknowns"
* Triangle of Death
* "Yo, Blair"

| Critical|

* Global arrogance
* Inverted totalitarianism
* "The wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time"

|

Memorials|

* Afghan–Iraqi Freedom Memorial (Salem, Oregon)
* Al-Shaheed Monument
* Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial (London)
* Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial
* Old North Memorial Garden
* Saving Iraqi Culture

Lists|

* Assassinations
* Aviation shootdowns and accidents
* Bombings
* Coalition military operations
* Documentaries
* Iraqi security forces fatality reports
* Most-wanted Iraqi playing cards
* Private contractor deaths

Timeline|

* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011

Related

* Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
* Chelsea Manning
* CIA black sites
* Efforts to impeach George W. Bush
* "Enhanced interrogation techniques"
* Torture in the United States
* Extraordinary rendition
* Green Zone
* Guantanamo Bay detention camp
* Gulf of Tonkin incident
* Resolution
* Military–industrial complex
* Neoconservatism
* Patriot Act
* Petrodollar warfare theory
* Post-9/11
* Special Relationship
* The Iraq War: A Historiography of Wikipedia Changelogs
* Unilateralism
* Unitary executive theory
* U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East
* WikiLeaks
* Ba'ath Party archives

Outline / Category / Wikinews / Multimedia

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* 2000s
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