UN Iraq Govt. Profile

Iraq Public Administration Profile

Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in reality a series of military strongmen ruled the country, 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 during the Gulf War of January- February 1991. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the 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, while simultaneously dealing with a robust insurgency.  The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), which temporarily administered Iraq after the invasion, transferred full governmental authority on 28 June 2004, to the Iraqi
Interim Government (IG), which governed under the Transitional Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL).