--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Baghdad fell on April 9, 2003, Hussein…" description: "\"Baghdad fell on April 9, 2003, Hussein and his regime were brought down, we declared \"Mission Accomplished\" and celebrated victory . . . and chaos erup..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/colin-powell-691_accomplished_baghdad-fell-on-april-9-2003-hussein-and_1583677.jpg" --- # Baghdad fell on April 9, 2003, Hussein and his regime were… ![“Baghdad fell on April 9, 2003, Hussein and his regime were brought down, we declared "Mission Accomplished" and celebrated victory . . . and chaos erupted. We did not assert control and authority over the country, especially Baghdad. We did not bring with us the capacity to impose our will. We did…” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/colin-powell-691_accomplished_baghdad-fell-on-april-9-2003-hussein-and_1583677.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/colin-powell-691_accomplished_baghdad-fell-on-april-9-2003-hussein-and_1583677.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/colin-powell-691_accomplished_baghdad-fell-on-april-9-2003-hussein-and_1583677.jpg) > “Baghdad fell on April 9, 2003, Hussein and his regime were brought down, we declared "Mission Accomplished" and celebrated victory . . . and chaos erupted. We did not assert control and authority over the country, especially Baghdad. We did not bring with us the capacity to impose our will. We did not take charge. And Iraq did not in a few weeks magically transform itself into a stable nation with democratic leaders. Instead a raging insurgency engulfed the country.” [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on the failure to establish authority and stability in Iraq after the invasion, leading to insurgency and chaos. **In simple terms:** Lack of control after invasion caused chaos. Key Takeaway Plan post‑conflict governance. Themes politics military nation‑building Mood cautious reflective Type analytical historical When to use this quote - military planning - policy making - international aid Key Concepts power vacuum state legitimacy Questions to Reflect On - How can post‑war plans be improved? - What role should local actors play? A Different Perspective Complexities of nation‑building are downplayed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [April](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/april/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Baghdad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baghdad/) [Chaos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaos/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democratic leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-leaders/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Insurgency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insurgency/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Mission accomplished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mission-accomplished/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [Almost immediately, I remember right when Tikrit even fell, a few days after Baghdad fell, there was talks of insurgency, there was talks of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farnaz-fassihi/almost-immediately-i-remember-right-when-tikrit-even-fell-a-few-days/) Farnaz Fassihi > [Apparently there are some Democratic leaders in the Senate that are running for office who now believe in tax cuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/apparently-there-are-some-democratic-leaders-in-the-senate-that-are/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [Democratic leaders always seem to blame America first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/democratic-leaders-always-seem-to-blame-america-first/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [Motivated more by partisan politics than by national security, today's Democratic leaders see America as an occupier, not a liberator. And nothing makes this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zell-miller/motivated-more-by-partisan-politics-than-by-national-security-today-s/) [Zell Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zell-miller/) > [At a time when Democratic leaders are pushing rationed care in a world of limited resources, Americans might wonder where the call for shared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-malkin/at-a-time-when-democratic-leaders-are-pushing-rationed-care-in-a/) [Michelle Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-malkin/) > [During the 2008 campaign, I strongly endorsed Barack Obama for president. I did so early, when many Democratic leaders - including many prominent African-American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilder/during-the-2008-campaign-i-strongly-endorsed-barack-obama-for/) [Douglas Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilder/) > [John Kerry and the other Democratic leaders are on the wrong side of history, as they were during the Reagan presidency. If they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-levin/john-kerry-and-the-other-democratic-leaders-are-on-the-wrong-side-of/) [Mark Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-levin/) > [After adding trillions to the debt on big-government policies most Americans didn't ask for and which we couldn't afford, Democratic leaders say they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/after-adding-trillions-to-the-debt-on-big-government-policies-most/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [Once upon a time, the most successful Democratic leader of them all, FDR, looked south and said I see one third of a nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zell-miller/once-upon-a-time-the-most-successful-democratic-leader-of-them-all/) [Zell Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zell-miller/) > [The court follows elite opinion, not public opinion. And Democratic leaders in Congress and Republican leaders in Congress follow elite opinion as well. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-court-follows-elite-opinion-not-public-opinion-and-democratic/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [There's a statement from several members of the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, including the Democratic leader, Charles Schumer; John McCain, the chair of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/there-s-a-statement-from-several-members-of-the-senate-both-democrats/) [George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/) > [Democratic leaders, whose power is ultimately dependent on popular support, are held accountable for failing to improve the lives of their citizens. Therefore, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natan-sharansky/democratic-leaders-whose-power-is-ultimately-dependent-on-popular/) [Natan Sharansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natan-sharansky/) > [I told the American people that I'd cut taxes for middle class families, and I did. I told you I'd cut taxes for small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-told-the-american-people-that-i-d-cut-taxes-for-middle-class/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [They appear to have had a higher voter turnout in Iraq than we did in our recent federal elections, and we didn't have terrorists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-burns/they-appear-to-have-had-a-higher-voter-turnout-in-iraq-than-we-did-in/) [Conrad Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-burns/) > [Iraq did nothing to us. Iraq was not responsible for 9/11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evers/iraq-did-nothing-to-us-iraq-was-not-responsible-for-9-11/) [Charles Evers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evers/) ## More by Colin Powell > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Decision-making is lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/decision-making-is-lonely/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-can-seldom-get-our-children-to-do-what-we-tell-them-but-they/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/with-respect-to-where-we-are-now-we-have-a-voluntary-army-and-if-we/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [There are no secrets to success: don't waste time looking for them, success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/there-are-no-secrets-to-success-don-t-waste-time-looking-for-them/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons is the existence of mobile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-of-the-most-worrisome-things-that-emerges-from-the-thick/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Pissing people off doesn't mean you're doing the right things, but doing the right things will almost inevitably piss people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/pissing-people-off-doesn-t-mean-you-re-doing-the-right-things-but/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. 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This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/) [J. D. 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