Iraq was formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, but after World War I, it came under British control, and then gained independence as a kingdom in 1932. A coup in 1968 brought the Arab nationalist Ba'ath (meaning Renaissance) party to power, and Saddam Hussein became president in 1979.
The country experienced internal political oppression and a war with neighboring Iran between 1980 and 1988. In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, and in the 1991 Gulf War, U.S.-led forces expelled their troops and liberated Kuwait from Iraqi control. After the war, Kurds in the north and Shi'a Muslims in the south rebelled against Hussein’s government, leading to a massive crackdown. In response, the U.S., U.K., and France established no-fly zones to protect civilians in the north and south of the country.
Despite subsequent international sanctions, the Iraqi government failed to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolutions requiring it to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and allow U.N. inspectors to verify compliance.
Citing this failure to comply with U.N. inspections, a U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq in March 2003, resulting in the removal of the Ba'ath regime and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) took on responsibility for security and administration in Iraq in the immediate term and transferred sovereign authority to an interim Iraqi government in 2004; elections were held on January 30, 2005, after which the Iraqi Transitional Government assumed authority. A new constitution was approved in a national referendum in October 2005.
Yet the security situation in Iraq deteriorated as violent conflict flared between Iraqi groups. The U.S. increased its troop numbers in a “surge” in 2007, which helped to stabilize the environment. As many as 170,000 Iraqis lost their lives in the violence between 2003 and 2013, and over 30,000 U.S. and international soldiers were killed or wounded.
Iraq formed its second democratically elected government in 2010, with national elections resulting in heavy turnover in the Iraqi parliament. In August 2010, the U.S. ended more than seven years of combat operations in Iraq with a transition to a civilian-led mission. U.S. forces completed their withdrawal in December 2011.
In 2014, the conflict in Iraq was renewed by the emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). Born as an al-Qaeda splinter group, ISIS has taken over large swaths of northern and western Iraq with the aim of creating an “Islamic state” across Sunni areas of Iraq and in Syria. ISIS is known for employing especially brutal terror tactics, often in public spaces. The U.S. began a large-scale air campaign over the region starting August 2014. About 9,300 people have been killed and 2.2 million have been forced from their homes in the wake of the recent violence.
In August 2014, newly-appointed Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi pledged to unify his nation in the fight against ISIS. The new Iraqi government has taken some steps that give hope for positive engagement, including a “humanitarian dialogue” with international aid organizations and diplomatic delegations to coordinate responses.
One notable improvement since the U.S. withdrew its troops in 2011 has been the development of an active civil society, lively opposition voices, and active and influential provincial councils. However, the rise of ISIS has set the country back years. Iraq will need extensive assistance over the long term to begin healing, a process that comprises three stages: saving lives, promoting social cohesion, and prioritizing educational and economic development.
