BAGHDAD, IRAQ - DECEMBER 14: U.S. President George W. Bush (L) and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki attend a joint press conference on December 14, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq. Bush arrived in Iraq on a unannounced, farewell visit to Baghdad on Sunday, just weeks before he leaves his office to President-elect Barack Obama. Bush will meet with Iraqi leaders, thank US troops and celebrate the new security agreement during his visit. (Photo by Thaier al-Sudani-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Nuri al-Maliki;George W. Bush

March 19 marks the eighth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, a nation that had no weapons of mass destruction and was not involved in the 9/11 attacks.

It was sold to the American public as a war to defend our nation and free the Iraqi people.

US deputy secretary of defence Paul Wolfowitz said our soldiers would be greeted as liberators and that Iraqi oil money would pay for the reconstruction.

Vice president Dick Cheney said the military effort would take “weeks rather than months”. And assistant defence secretary Ken Adelman predicted that “liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk”.

Eight years on, it’s time to look back at that “cakewalk”.

continue reading A look back at 8 years of war in Iraq @ Al Jazeera English