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Formally part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britian during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared
a League of Nations mandage under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independece
as a Kindom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled
the country since then, the latest was SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and
costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces
during the Gulf War of January-Feburary 1991. Following Kuwaits liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC)
requered Iraq scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow the UN verification inspections.
Continued Iraqi uncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq on March 2003
and ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructure and
facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government. The Coalition Provisional Authority trasferred sovereignty
to the interim Government on 28 June 2004.
http:www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/iz.html
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