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It was called an 'anti-war movement - all those millions on the streets - but how anti- war was it when now the majority support the war? What do you think? Send us your views.
All but one of the first 14 polls carries out showed that popular support was on the side of what has been called the anti-war movement from August right up until mid-March. The exception followed the Bali Bombing in October.
From November opposition to an attack on Iraq grew progressively stronger and peaked after the massive demonstration in London in February. From then on support for the war steadily strengthened as (according to the polls) women and young voters swung behind the military action.
Countdown to war
2002
· January Bush names Iraq as part of "axis of evil"
· April Blair makes speech in US - "The moment for decision on how to act is not yet with us ... If necessary, the action should be military - and again, if necessary and justified, it should involve regime change"
· September 3 Iraq dominates prime ministerial press conference in Sedgefield. Blair says he wants issue to go to UN, but only as a way of dealing with the matter rather than avoiding it
· September 7 Blair meets Bush at Camp David
· September 12 Bush challenges UN to confront "grave and gathering danger", or stand aside as US and like-minded countries act
· September 24 Parliament recalled to debate Iraq crisis; 53 Labour MPs rebel
· November 8 UN security council unanimously adopts resolution 1441
· November 27 UN weapons inspectors return to Iraq
2003
· January 17 Blair meets chief weapons inspector Hans Blix at Chequers
· January 20 Defence secretary Geoff Hoon announces that 26,000 soldiers are to be deployed in the Gulf
· January 31 Blair flies to Madrid to meet Jose Maria Aznar, then on to Washington to see Bush. Bush and Blair agree to give weapons inspection process a further six weeks
· February 14 Blix delivers report to security council giving more positive account of progress than had been expected, and advocating more time
· February 15 More than 4 million people join anti-war protests across the world, including more than 1 million in London
· February 26 121 Labour MPs vote against war after a six-hour debate
· March 5 France, Germany and Russia say they will "not allow" new resolution on military action to pass at security council
· March 7 Blix delivers report which is ambivalent about Iraqi compliance
· March 8-9 Clinton visits Chequers
· March 9 Clare Short publicly accuses Blair of recklessness, threatens to resign
· March 10 Chirac says France will vote against second resolution "regardless of circumstances"
· March 16 Bush and Blair meet in Azores
· March 17 US and Britain abandon attempt to secure second resolution. Blair holds emergency cabinet meeting; Robin Cook resigns. Attorney general says attack on Iraq is legal
· March 18 Commons votes on war; 139 Labour MPs rebel but Blair wins parliamentary backing for action
· March 20-21 War starts
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