<P> According to George W. Bush and U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair , the coalition aimed `` to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction , to end Saddam Hussein 's support for terrorism , and to free the Iraqi people . '' Others place a much greater emphasis on the impact of the September 11 attacks , on the role this played in changing U.S. strategic calculations , and the rise of the freedom agenda . According to Blair , the trigger was Iraq 's failure to take a `` final opportunity '' to disarm itself of alleged nuclear , chemical , and biological weapons that U.S. and British officials called an immediate and intolerable threat to world peace . </P>
what was the immediate goal of u.s. intervention in iraq in 2003
disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction , to end Saddam Hussein 's support for terrorism , and to free the Iraqi people