Which leader was targeted for removal during the U.S. invasion of Iraq?

The leader targeted for removal during the U.S. invasion of Iraq was Saddam Hussein. In March 2003, the United States launched a military campaign aimed primarily at toppling Hussein, who was the president of Iraq at the time. The motivations for this invasion included the belief that Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and posed a threat to global security, as well as the intention to promote democracy in Iraq. Saddam Hussein ruled with an iron fist and was known for his oppressive regime that committed numerous human rights violations.

The other leaders mentioned in the options were not the focus of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Muammar Gaddafi was the leader of Libya and was later dealt with in an international context but not during the Iraq invasion. Bashar al-Assad is the president of Syria, and during the time of the Iraq War, his regime was not targeted by U.S. forces in the same manner as Hussein's. Muhammad bin Salman is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and was not a target in the context of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, as Saudi Arabia was an ally to the U.S. in that region at the time.