We must never forget the terrible consequences of the Iraq war

Editorial: We owe it to all those who have had their blood spilt to ensure that the same catastrophic errors are not repeated

As the years move on and the generations who have no memory of the Iraq invasion grow, we cannot let it drift out of the public consciousness (Reuters)

Twenty years ago, the invasion of Iraq began with the blinding explosions of “shock and awe” – but the truth soon became clear to see.

The falsehood upon which the case for war was built – the idea that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) – was exposed swiftly after the operation was launched. But the damage it caused stretches into the present day. The Independent stood up against the invasion, and what followed would only reinforce that view.

Whatever relief might have been felt at the fall of Hussein’s regime was overtaken by the chaos and extreme violence that followed. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are believed to have been killed, as well as thousands of troops from the US-led coalition, including almost 200 members of the British armed services. There was also the death of Dr David Kelly, embroiled in the intelligence row of which WMDs were at the centre. So many families left without their loved ones.