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It was disgracefully dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom by the invading United States military forces, but for millions of Iraqis around the world, it was anything but.

Last week marked the 20th anniversary of the start of what then-United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan described more appropriately as an illegal war on Iraq by the US and its allies.

What we did learn from the war is the abhorrent hypocrisy of labels in conflicts when viewed through a Western lens. This war has, as an Iraqi, plagued my thoughts daily since March 2003. It has left hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead, with millions of others displaced and their lives ruined.

Images of Baghdads night sky lit up by flames, as bombs were indiscriminately dropped more regularly than a ticking clock on the City of Peace, are forever etched in our memories. For weeks, nights turned to day, as Iraqis would pray to make it to the morning alive.

The years that followed could hardly be forgotten, either. From an oppressive occupation to sectarian governance, the Iraq war has continued to ruin the lives of millions. My own family is now scattered around the world, from Canada to Australia, as a result of the brutal invasion.

Sadly, over the last 20 years, we have failed to see any accountability for the plethora of lies and false arguments by both former US President George W Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blairs governments that led to an era-defining conflict.

In contrast, it took current US President Joe Biden mere weeks to decry his Russian counterpart as a war criminal after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Of course, Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine is brutal and illegal. But what about Bidens own warmongering? Let me remind you: Bidenchampioned a war in Iraq yearsbefore Bush even took office.

Within a mere few days of US military action in Iraq,more than 15,000 Iraqis losttheir lives in violent conflict as a result of Washingtons shock and awe tactic to overwhelm the country with its military might. To put this into context, and although one innocent life lost is one too many, the total death toll in Ukraine of non-combatantssince the war began a year ago is an estimated 8,000 civilians.

Yet while Russia has been hit by sanctions by multiple Western nations and their allies, and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Putin, we saw none of this with the US, United Kingdom, Bush and Blair.

Theres little difference even between the language used by Bush and Putin before their respective wars. Ahead of the Iraq invasion, Bush used terms like freedom, liberation and war on terror. Putin similarly claimed he wasliberatingUkraine andcurbing terrorismin the region.

Such are the parallels that in a moment of bizarre irony, Bush while attempting to denounce Putins invasion last year accidentally scoldedhis own actions, criticising in a speech the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq.

The reality is that both leaders used false narratives to build public support for wars that have redefined their respective regions. Much like Bushs claims of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Putin suggested Ukraine has ambitions to usechemical weapons.

It was Bush, however, who did use incendiary weapons in Iraq in the form ofwhite phosphorus in Fallujah, with children to this day sufferingbirth defectsas a consequence of the lasting effects of the chemical.Yet far from facing accountability, Bush has been allowed to redefine his own narrative asan immigrant-loving artist.

If he is not seeing out his days of retirement at his ranch in Texas, he can be founddancing with Ellen DeGeneres on prime-time television. Former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, both architects of the Iraq war, passed away without facing justice. Bush must be held to account before it is too late.

Conveniently, Bush withdrew the US from the International Criminal Court inthe year before the Iraq invasion, making it near to impossible to hold US leaders or military officials to account for alleged war crimes. When the ICCs top prosecutor wanted to investigate alleged war crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan in 2020, Washington imposed sanctions on her much like Putins Russia has opened a case against the current ICC prosecutor.

Against this backdrop, the US making allegations of war crimes against Putin seems hypocritical.At least800,000 Iraqis were killedas a consequence of Bushsalleged divinely inspiredinvasion of Iraq.

Those who dared oppose the eight-year US occupation in Iraq were labelled as insurgents. Many were infamously tortured and sexually abused by US troops at the now notorious Abu Ghraib prison.

Similar resistance movements in Ukraine, however, arebranded as heroic for standing up to Russian occupation. Ukrainians have been celebrated for making homemade Molotov cocktails as defence weapons, but when similar acts of resistance happened in Iraq or Palestine, the label terrorist was used. This racist double standard has been evident throughout the past year.

The touching acts of global solidarity with Ukraine from Premier League football matches raising Ukrainian flags to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy giving a speech at the Golden Globes this year were never on display for the victims of the brutal Iraq war.

If the absence of support and empathy was not bad enough, the war on Ukraine unsheathed a disregard for the lives of people in the Global South suffering from deadly conflicts often plotted in Western capitals. This isnt a place, with all due respect, like Iraq or Afghanistan, that has seen conflict raging for decades, said Charlie DAgata, a senior CBS News correspondent, reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine.You know, this is a relatively civilised, relatively European I have to choose those words carefully, too city where you wouldnt expect that or hope that its going to happen.

The reason Iraq has witnessed decades worth of war is directly linked to Bushs 2003 decision to invade a country that had already been ravaged by years of brutal sanctions.The death of innocent Iraqis matters just as much as the deaths of innocent Ukrainians. Just as Ukrainians deserve life and solidarity, so too do Iraqis.

Just as we should want Putin to be tried for his crimes, we should be demanding that Bush be charged for his. We cannot wait another 20 years.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.

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Bush did what Putins doing so why is he getting away? - Al Jazeera English

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced on Sunday that oil export revenues for February exceeded seven billion USD, according to the Oil Ministry statement cited by the Iraqi news Agency (INA).

According to the final statistics issued by the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), the total exports of crude oil during February exceeded 92.25 million barrels with revenues exceeding 7.62 billion USD, the statement mentioned.

The statement indicated that the total quantities of crude oil exported during February from oil fields in central and southern Iraq were more than 89.14 million barrels, while the quantities exported from oil fields in Kirkuk through the port of Ceyhan were more than 2.83 million barrels.

The average price per barrel was nearly 76.6 USD, the statement elaborated.

Iraqi oil exports were loaded by 35 international companies from ports on the Arabian Gulf and through the Turkish port of Ceyhan.

Last month, Iraq exported more than 101.24 million barrels with revenues exceeding 7.66 billion USD.

The total exports of crude oil during December exceeded 103.28 million barrels with revenues exceeding 7.7 billion USD, according to final statistics issued by SOMO.

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced earlier that oil export revenues for November exceeded eight billion USD, with an average price exceeding 82.41 USD per barrel, while revenues of oil exports during October were more than nine billion USD.

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Iraq's oil revenues in February exceed $7 billion - Iraqi News

Iraq suspended government office operations on Monday due to heavy rainfall and bad weather conditions.

Torrential downpours accompanied by strong windstorms and floods caused significant damage in the provinces of Baghdad, Anbar, Najaf, Diwaniyah and Wasit on Sunday.

On Monday, the country's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani directed the suspension of working hours in all provinces.

Some schools were also closed due to the weather.

Iraq has been hit with monsoon rains, causing flooding in some areas.

Water levels rose in many of the provinces, including Najaf, where water swept into houses andcars, shops and workplaces were submerged.

Several families were forced to leave their homes due to the unexpected downpour in the worst hit neighbourhood.The historic Great Mosque of Kufa and the Najaf International Airport were also affected.

The suspension of working hours excludes security and service intuitions, according to a statement from the Iraqi governments general secretariat.

No casualties have been reported.

Iraq is the fifth-most vulnerable nation in the world to the effects of climate change, including water and food insecurity.

Over the last 40 years, water flows from the Euphrates and Tigris, which provide up to 98 per cent of the country's surface water, have decreased by 30 to 40 per cent, according to the UN.

Last year, low rainfall levels and high temperatures caused by climate change depleted water supplies across the country.

Much of Iraqs agricultural lands depend on irrigation, but dams and reservoirs were at record-low levels in the summer of 2021. Seawater is pushing into southern lands due to low river water levels. Resulting soil salinity is threatening agriculture.

Iraq's historic marshlands in the south are also drying up, while temperatures are soaring. The southern city of Basra recorded nearly 54C in 2021.

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Iraq suspends working hours amid heavy rainfall due to the effects of the climate crisis - Euronews

A California Marine veteran and father of two was fatally shot and killed Friday morning while driving for Uber, according to police.

Aaron Orozco, 38, picked up two passengers early that morning and stopped at a Lynwood 7-Eleven for an unknown reason before he got into a physical altercation with the two passengers, police said.

One suspect shot Orozco in the upper torso, cops said.

The suspects then fled in Orozco's vehicle, and it was later located by local authorities a short distance away. Orozco was pronounced dead at the scene. He leaves behind his wife, Sandra Medina, a 9-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.

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"It just seems like Im in a nightmare. It doesnt seem real to me," Medinatold Fox 11."I havent even told my kids yet, they still think dad is going to come through the door."

Aaron Orozco, 38, was based out of Camp Pendleton and had previously completed three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. (KTTV)

Orozco had been based out of Camp Pendleton and had previously completed three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Medina told Fox 11 her husband had started working for Uber at night so he could care for their children while she was working as a nurse.

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"We were married for 10 years, but weve been together since high school, high school sweethearts," Medina told FOX 11.

Orozco began working for Uber at night so he could care for his children while his wife was working as a nurse. (KTTV)

Orozco had been working for Uber for four years before the shooting, never having had issues in the past until the morning of March 24.

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"Our hearts are with Mr. Orozco Figueroas family as they cope with this unfathomable tragedy, and we have reached out to offer our condolences," Uber said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We banned the riders account and are working with police on their investigation."

Orozco leaves behind his wife, Sandra Medina, a 9-year-old son, and a 3-year-old daughter. (KTTV)

Uber told Fox News Digital they have extended their condolences to the family and explained Orozco's family is eligible for survivor benefits, provided through Intact.

The company's Public Safety team composed of former law enforcement officers and paralegals is ready to assist with the investigation, which is still ongoing. Uber said they are working closely with detectives on the case and will continue to cooperate with the investigation.

A GoFundMe page set up in honor of Orozco and his family had already surpassed its $20,000 goal as of Sunday morning, with more than $36,000 donated. (KTTV)

A GoFundMe page set up in honor of Orozco and his family had already surpassed its $20,000 goal as of Sunday morning, with more than $36,000 donated.

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"I just hope that they find them because they created this chaos in my life and my family's life," Medina told ABC 7. "And, you know, now I don't have my husband with me. And, it has just changed my life around so much. So, I really hope that they do catch them."

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Marine veteran who survived three tours in Iraq, Afghanistan killed driving an Uber in California - Fox News

LONDON, March 27 (Reuters) - Iraq's oil output and capacity may peak following growth of around 25% over the next five years, analysts said, falling short of 2027 targets and ending a long-standing ambition to rival the output of top OPEC producer Saudi Arabia.

Political infighting has cost Iraq the opportunity to invest in growing output more quickly. As the energy transition gathers pace, it means Baghdad may never be able to cash in the hundreds of billions of barrels it has in the ground, even with the efforts of the country's new energy minister to attract investment.

Since 2016, Iraq's output has stalled at around 4.5 million barrels per day (bpd).

Before then, capacity grew rapidly as the government opened up the sector in 2009 and international oil companies revamped the country's biggest oilfields.

Growth slowed in part because Iraq agreed to cap output under supply policy agreed with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, a group known as OPEC+.

Iraq's Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani, who took office in October, plans to update Iraq's oil production strategies to meet local needs while complying with the OPEC+ agreement, oil ministry spokesman Asim Jihad told Reuters.

It is too early for the new government to talk about any significant increases in Iraq's oil production outside the OPEC+ agreement, Jihad said. Under the agreement, Iraq's production target is 4.43 million bpd until December.

As a result, Iraq has shifted focus to the refining and gas sectors and lowered capital expenditure in the oil sector, analysts at FGE consultancy and Rystad Energy told Reuters.

For the oil sector, the country has repeatedly delayed a target to reach 7-8 million bpd capacity, from the current 5 million bpd. The previous government said last year it hoped to reach the higher levels by 2027.

Some energy industry consultancies forecast that Iraq may never reach them.

Capacity would peak and plateau at 6.3 million bpd by 2028 before declining, Iman Nasseri, managing director for the Middle East with FGE consultancy, said. Politics, security and the investment environment were all contributing to prevent Iraq from pushing output higher than that, he said.

"We think Iraq's current target looks hard, if not impossible to achieve," Nasseri said.

Rystad Energy expected production to be limited to 5.5 million bpd by 2027 as a result of midstream growth limitations and because projects that are crucial to boosting output are stuck.

Two decades after the war began, the current targets and the even lower forecasts are far off Iraq's post-war goal to take capacity to 12 million bpd.

The ambition was scaled back in 2012 after international oil companies operating in Iraq negotiated lower output targets for their fields because of low recovery factors, high natural decline rates and because Iraq was not investing enough in infrastructure, analysts said.

The major oil companies had also hoped Baghdad would improve the terms of technical service contracts (TSCs). That never happened, and companies such as ExxonMobil Corp (XOM.N) and Royal Dutch Shell Plc left.

Analysts and industry insiders say the problems are above the ground rather than in the geology below, which has significant unexplored capacity, and include repeated changes to government, political infighting and red tape.

Successive governments failed to sign off on Iraq's fifth licensing round in 2018. Six deals out of eleven oil and gas blocs on offer were eventually signed at the end of February, marking long-awaited reforms to the conditions of operating in the country.

The beneficiaries were not the international oil companies, but UAE firm Crescent Petroleum and two Chinese companies.

A source close to the Iraq energy industry who could not be named because they were not authorised to speak to the press said the contracts awarded pay royalties upfront and link revenues to oil prices.

Abdel-Ghani's decision to sign the deals four months after his appointment may show a new resolve in government to cut deals more attractive to international energy companies, the source said.

Still other issues remain.

A large-scale seawater treatment project needed to boost output at the southern oilfields through water injection, has been stalled for over a decade because of haggling over terms.

French oil major TotalEnergies is the latest to take on the project as part of a $27 billion deal to build four oil, gas and renewable projects over 25 years.

TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne said this month contractual disagreements were unresolved.

"Iraq is not the easiest place to invest with all risk," Pouyanne said.

The water project would boost output at the five Iraqi fields by 2 mln bpd of the 2.4 mln bpd growth needed to reach Iraq's 2027 targets, according to Rystad data and Reuters research.

But completion before 2027 is unlikely, Rystad's vice president of Middle East upstream research Aditya Saraswat said.

Iraq's oil minister this month revived seven investment opportunities in Iraq's refining sector.

Even if Abdel-Ghani manages to find companies interested in those projects, Iraq's refining potential only allows 500,000 bpd of crude output growth and this would take time, Saraswat said.

Meanwhile, Iraq's southern export capacity has stalled at around 3.2-3.3 mln bpd for the last year following delays to infrastructure upgrades at its Gulf ports, data from state-owned marketer SOMO showed.

Reporting by Rowena Edwards in London, Maha El Dahan in Dubai, and Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad; Editing by Simon Webb and Barbara Lewis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Analysis: Iraq's ambition to match Saudi oil output is out of reach - Reuters