George Herbert Walker Bush24 February 1991
The Allied land offensive begins against Iraq
United States · Warfare / Gulf War. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
The Allied land offensive begins against Iraq
US forces move into northern Iraq to set up safe havens for Kurdish refugees
The United States Republican Party's campaign platform in the US presidential election, 2000 called for "full implementation" of the Iraq Liberation Act and removal of Hussein
President Bush addresses a joint session of the US Congress (which was simulcast live to the world), and announces his new "War on Terrorism". Announces the doctrine of pre-emptive military action, later termed the Bush Doctrine
CIA assessments on Iraqi weapons influence the case for war.
Bush begins formally making his case to the international community for an invasion of Iraq in his September 12, 2002 address to the United Nations Security Council. Bush begins formally making his case to the international community for an invasion of Iraq in his 12 September 2002 address to the United Nations Security Council
Both the US ambassador to the UN, John Negroponte, and the UK ambassador, Jeremy Greenstock, publicly confirmed the reading of the resolution, assuring that Resolution 1441 provided no "automaticity" or "hidden triggers" for an invasion
The United Nations Security Council adopted a compromise resolution, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441, which authorized the resumption of weapons inspections and promised "serious consequences" for non-compliance.
UN Security Council members France and Russia made clear that they did not consider these consequences to include the use of force to overthrow the Iraqi Government.
UN Resolution 1441 gives Iraq "a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations" and set up inspections by the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Both the US ambassador to the UN, John Negroponte, and the UK ambassador, Jeremy Greenstock, publicly confirmed the reading of the resolution, assuring that Resolution 1441 provided no "automaticity" or "hidden triggers" for an invasion
The United States Congress passed the "Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002". Authority to attack Iraq if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein does not give up his weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and abide by previous United Nations resolutions on human rights, POWs, and terrorism
Bush to "strictly enforce through the U.N.
Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq" and "obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay, evasion, and noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq".
The US Congresss "Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq" authorized President Bush to use the Armed Forces of the United States "as he determines to be necessary and appropriate" in order to "defend the national security of the United States against the continuing
US Congress passes a "Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq". The US Congresss "Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq" "supported" and "encouraged" diplomatic efforts by President George W.
threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq"
Visiting Europe for a NATO summit, Bush declares that, "should Iraqi President Saddam Hussein choose not to disarm, the United States will lead a coalition of the willing to disarm him". The Bush administration briefly used the term Coalition of the Willing to refer to the countries who supported, militarily or verbally, the military action in Iraq and subsequent military presence in post-invasion Iraq since 2003
States regarding Iraqi WMD: "The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud". After Iraq denied weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations, Rice writes an editorial for The New York Times entitled "Why We Know Iraq Is Lying"
Both the US ambassador to the UN, John Negroponte, and the UK ambassador, Jeremy Greenstock, publicly confirmed the reading of the resolution, assuring that Resolution 1441 provided no "automaticity" or "hidden triggers" for an invasion.
Bush to "strictly enforce through the U. N.
The Bush administration briefly used the term Coalition of the Willing to refer to the countries who supported, militarily or verbally, the military action in Iraq and subsequent military presence in post-invasion Iraq since 2003.
Visiting Europe for a NATO summit, Bush declares that, "should Iraqi President Saddam Hussein choose not to disarm, the United States will lead a coalition of the willing to disarm him".
threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq".
His presentation to the United Nations Security Council contained a computer-generated image of a "mobile biological weapons laboratory.."
However, this information was based on claims of Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, codenamed "Curveball", an Iraqi emigrant living in Germany who later admitted that his claims had been false.
On 5 February 2003, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the United Nations General Assembly, continuing U.S. efforts to gain United Nations authorization for an invasion.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the United Nations General Assembly, continuing US efforts to gain United Nations authorization for an invasion
US Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the United Nations General Assembly, continuing US efforts to gain United Nations authorization for an invasion. Powell presented evidence alleging that Iraq was actively producing chemical and biological weapons and had ties to al-Qaeda
Unlike the first Gulf War or the war in Afghanistan (2001), this war had no explicit United Nations authorisation. In his 2003 address to the nation, Bush demands that Hussein and his two sons, Uday and Qusay, surrender and leave Iraq, giving them a 48-hour deadline
The bombing of Iraq by the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Poland, Australia, and Denmark begins
The invasion is preceded by an air strike on the Presidential Palace in Baghdad
Prior to the invasion, the United States official position was that Iraq was in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 regarding weapons of mass destruction and had to be disarmed by force
Start of the conflict known as the Iraq War or Operation Iraqi Freedom in which a combined force of troops from the United States, alongside the United Kingdom, and smaller contingents from Australia and Poland.
The US launches the invasion of Iraq, termed "Operation Iraqi Freedom". The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, Italy and Poland supply the vast majority of the invading forces, in co-operation with Kurdish forces.
The invasion of Iraq was strongly opposed by some traditional US allies, including the Governments of France, Germany, New Zealand, and Canada.
The reasons for the invasion were "to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein's alleged support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people".
Franks commands United States Central Command during the opening invasion of Iraq.
The main invasion army moved into southern Iraq, occupying the region and engaging in the Battle of Nasiriyah
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is airdropped near the northern city of Kirkuk where they joined forces with Kurdish rebels and fought several actions against the Iraqi army to secure the northern part of the country
Bush declares the end of major combat operations, terminating the Baath Party's rule and removing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from office
Most of the Iraqi military is quickly defeated and Baghdad was occupied on April 9th
US forces invade Iraq after disputed intelligence claims.
The final resistance to US forces is mounted but by late afternoon, all fighting had ceased & a total of 34 US soldiers and 2,320 Iraqi soldiers and Fedayeen were killed
US forces take control of Tikrit, the last major outpost in central Iraq, with an attack led by the Marines Task Force Tripoli
US-led Coalition troops promptly began searching for the key members of Saddam Husseins Government identified by a variety of means, most famously through sets of most-wanted Iraqi playing cards. Three weeks into the invasion, US-led Coalition forces move into Baghdad, units of the Iraqi Special Republican Guard led the defence of the city
US-led Coalition troops promptly began searching for the key members of Saddam Husseins Government identified by a variety of means, most famously through sets of most-wanted Iraqi playing cards. US General Tommy Franks assumed control of Iraq as the supreme commander of the coalition occupation forces
An end of major combat operations is declared, ending the invasion period and beginning the military occupation period
During a raid by the US 101st Airborne Division and men from Task Force 20, Saddam Husseins sons Uday and Qusay, and one of his grandsons were killed in a massive fire-fight
UNMOVIC "did not find evidence of the continuation or resumption of programs of weapons of mass destruction" or significant quantities of proscribed items.
As of February 2003, the IAEA "found no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapons program in Iraq".
the IAEA concluded that certain items which could have been used in nuclear enrichment centrifuges, such as aluminum tubes, were in fact intended for other uses.
An article published in the Guardian alleged that Richard Perle, a senior member of the administrations Defence Policy Board Advisery Committee, conceded that the invasion was illegal but still justified
Saddam Hussein was captured by the US Armys 4th Infantry Division and members of Task Force 121 during Operation Red Dawn
United States Senator Rick Santorum claimes that "We have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons"
Troops storm an Iranian diplomatic office in Kurdish-controlled Erbil and detain five people, urdish officials are outraged at the move, and about 100 Kurdish troops stop US troops from crossing a checkpoint
The tally of death certificates and reports from morgues, hospitals, and other institutions indicates more than 34,000 Iraqi civilians died in 2006
Senate Foreign Relations Committee votes, 12-9, in favor of a nonbinding resolution that denounces President Bushs plan to deploy additional troops to Iraq
National Intelligence Estimate finds the Iraqi leadership is likely too weak to hold the country together, the military is ill-equipped to rein in militias, and US troops are necessary to stabilize Iraq
The House of Representatives votes, 246-182, in favor of a nonbinding resolution that expresses support for US troops but criticizes President Bushs "surge" that calls for some 20,000 additional troops to be sent to Iraq
President Bush selects Lt Gen Douglas Lute to oversee war policy in Iraq and Afghanistan
President Bush selects Lt Gen Douglas Lute to oversee war policy in Iraq and Afghanistan
Moktada al-Sadr, leader of the Mahdi Army militia and an opponent of the US-led war in Iraq, reemerges from hiding for the first time since January. In a speech, he calls for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq
With 127 deaths, May is the deadliest month for U.S. troops since November 2004
A review of progress in Iraq, called the National Intelligence Estimate, says the Iraqi Government has failed to end sectarian violence even with the surge of American troops
Petraeus tells the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees that the US military needs more time to meet its goals in Iraq, he says troops in Iraq may be reduced from 20 brigades to 15, or from troops to 130,000, beginning in July 2008
Senator Carl Levin, Democrat from Michigan, says, "Year after year, the president and the administration have touted progress in Iraq and called for patience. It has been a litany of delusion"
Petraeus and Ryan Crocker face more intense and critical questioning from members of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, they failed to answer definitely repeated questions about how long US troops would be in Iraq
n a nationally televised address, President Bush outlines a plan for withdrawing troops from Iraq, he says by July 2008 troop levels would drop from the current high of 169,000 to 130,000
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the former Commander of US forces in Iraq, criticizes the Bush administration for its "catastrophically flawed, unrealistically optimistic war plan"
Turkeys Parliament votes, 507 to 19, to allow the deployment of troops into northern Iraq to deal with attacks on Turkey by Kurdish rebels in Iraq
Six American soldiers are killed in Iraq, bringing the total deaths in 2007 to 852, the highest annual total since the war began in 2003
A brigade of 5,000 U.S. troops starts to leave Diyala Province, the first significant pullback of troops. Once the withdrawal is complete, there will be 157,000 soldiers in Iraq, from a high of 162,000
With the help of the US military, Turkish fighter jets bomb areas in Dohuk Province in northern Iraq, targeting the Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Workers Party
Gen. David Petraeus reports that car bombs and suicide attacks have dropped by 60% since June 2007
In front of a crowd of Marines in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, President Obama announced his intention to withdraw most American troops out of Iraq by August 31, 2010
In compliance with the status of forces agreement between the US and Iraq, US troops complete their withdrawal from Iraqi cities, including Baghdad, and transfer the responsibility of securing the cities to Iraqi troops
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