Bush. After the Taliban were removed from power in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks, removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq became the next objective to tackle terrorism. There were three main motives stated publicly by president Bush that justified this action: Preemptive attack to prevent further development or use by Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, enforcement of international law, and removing Saddam Hussein’s oppressive and genocidal regime and having him tried for his crimes against his people. Operation Iraqi Freedom began on March 19,