As per the liberal theory, Iraq posed a number of problems that threatened the stability of the world. Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait was a direct violation of liberal principles in that a totalitarian state had invaded a peaceful state out of hegemonistic ambitions. Liberal theory rested on principles of liberty, and that liberty of Kuwait had been violated. Iraq was a non-liberal country that had not only threatened the sovereignty of a state but was also threatening to control oil that directly affected the energy security and thus the national security of liberal countries.
Such a threat, therefore, needed to be countered. Iraq not only threatened energy security but also physical security through its purported quest for Weapons of Mass Destruction. Iraq later violated UN conditions on weapon inspections and thus reinforced the view that a dictator would never honor international obligations. The non-liberal regime of Saddam Hussein was an anathema to the free world as the citizens of Iraq suffered oppression by the dictator and hence needed to be removed.
The unjust and illiberal practices of the Iraqi regime including the genocide of its Kurdish population militated against every liberal principle of liberty, equality, freedom, and individual rights. In an interview with Bob Woodward, Bush stated that “I believe we have a duty to free people.” Woodward reports that the President had wanted to liberate the Iraqis from oppression and had the zeal to do so. Saddam Hussein’s illiberal policies that included providing support to terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah threatened the stability of the Middle East.
With such a wide array of reasons, liberal countries US and UK considered it necessary to remove the illiberal regime in Iraq leading to the invasion of Iraq.