In a front-page article in last week’s Sentry (“Bridge Protesters mark four years of war”), March 17 was described as the anniversary of the Iraq war. On March 17, 2003, President Bush issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding, “Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict, commenced at a time of our choosing. For their own safety, all foreign nationals -- including journalists and inspectors -- should leave Iraq immediately.” March 19 is widely accepted as the beginning of hostilities when a “decapitation strike” was unsuccessfully attempted against Saddam Hussein and members of his family. That evening, President Bush addressed the nation saying, “At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations,” according to White House archives. The ground invasion, according to CNN archives began March 20.