Photo Gallery The Iraq Disaster
A Shiite protest in Baghdad in 2004: The US erroneously assessed the conflict between the religious groups in Iraq.
A poster of Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr in 2004: All of Iraq's religious groups vied for influence and resources, but the Americans failed to grasp the insurgency that was starting.
US Ambassador John Negroponte in Baghdad (2004): It was a "great honor" to accredit the American, then-Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari wrote in the beginning.
The US flag hangs from the embassy in Baghdad. The embassy opened for the first time after 13 years on June 30, 2004.
A US soldier walks past the American Embassy in Baghdad in 2007. Many Iraqis didn't like the fact that the Americans chose one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces for their new embassy.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (left), with Iraqi National Security Advisor Mouwafak al-Rubaie (right): According to the diplomatic cables, Iran has massive influence on neighboring Iraq.
US Ambassador Neroponte carries his printed credentials and addresses then-Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer in 2004. The Iraqis leaders had to ask themselves who they should follow. And their choices were either the Americans, who had liberated Iraq from Saddam Hussein, or Iran, their powerful neighbor that would still be there long after the US military has withdrawn.
