The American military operation in Iraq, promised to “free its people” by President George W. Bush 20 years ago, instead plunged the nation into chaos and conflict. The Iraqi political system, shaped by American-backed exiles, divided the state along sectarian lines, leading to civil war. After nine years, 4,500 troop fatalities, and $1 trillion, U.S. troops withdrew in 2011, leaving Iraq with over 186,000 casualties and widespread corruption. Today, Iraqis grapple with the unfulfilled U.S. commitment to bring democracy, facing lingering disillusionment.
Salwan Georges is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist for The Washington Post. In 2020, he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize with his team for covering climate change around the world. In 2023, he was named Photographer of the Year by NPPA for his work covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the race to save Black Rhinos in Africa, and the fentanyl crisis in U.S. and Mexico. In 2021, Georges was named Photographer of the Year by POYi for covering a racial reckoning in Minneapolis, an unforgettable U.S. national election, and a deadly pandemic.
Awards - Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism, winner, 2020
- Photographer of the Year, POYi, 2021
- Photographer of the Year, NPPA, 2023
- Photographer of the Year, Siena International Photo Awards, 2023
- Photographer of the Year, Northern Short Course, 2021 & 2023
- Kavli Science Journalism Award, Gold Award in Science Reporting, winner, 2022
