Restored archive. The original History Commons is no longer online; this is a read-only edition of its timelines. Content is licensed CC BY-NC-SA.

Events Leading Up to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq

2476 events in this timeline

Open-Content investigative project managed by Derek, KJF, blackmax

This is the home page for the Events Leading Up to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq investigative project, one of several grassroots investigations being hosted on the History Commons website. The data published as part of this investigation has been collected, organized, and published by members of the public who are registered users of this website.

Showing 1–50 of 2476

  1. 1848-02-15 February 15, 1848: Lincoln: Pre-Emptive War Powers Make a President a King
  2. 1944-10-30 October 30, 1944: Ahmed Chalabi Is Born into Elite Iraqi Family
  3. 1954-08-11 August 11, 1954: Eisenhower: ‘I Don’t Believe There Is Such a Thing’ as Preventative War
  4. 1981-06-06 June 6-9, 1981: Israeli Prime Minister Begin Alerts US Televangelist to Impending Strike against Iraqi Nuclear Reactor
  5. 1981-06-07 June 7, 1981: Iraqi Nuclear Facility Obliterated by Israel
  6. 1983-11-21 November 21, 1983: US Balks at Curbing Iraqi Chemical Weapons Production
  7. 1983-11-26 November 26, 1983: Reagan Directs US to Increase Military Cooperation with Iraq to Protect Oil Interests
  8. 1983-12-20 December 20, 1983: Rumsfeld Meets with Hussein, Promises US Support
  9. 1984-03-15 March 15, 1984: US Downplays Previous Criticism of Iraqi Chemical Warfare
  10. 1984-03-24 March 24, 1984: Shultz Wants Rumsfeld to Mend Fences with Iraq Over Chemical Weapons Accusations, Oil Access
  11. 1984-03-29 March 29, 1984: Iraq, US Work to Water Down UN Condemnation of Iraq’s Use of Chemical Weapons
  12. 1984-03-30 March 30, 1984: State Dept Denies US Involvement in Iraqi Chemical Weapons Use
  13. 1984-04-05 April 5, 1984: Reagan Issues Directive Supporting Iraq
  14. 1984-05-09 May 9, 1984: State Department Supports Increasing Sales of ‘Dual-Use’ Nuclear Technology to Iraq
  15. 1984-09-25 September 25, 1984: DIA Says Iraq Will Increase Chemical Weapons, Develop Nuclear Weapons
  16. 1984-10-01 October 1, 1984-October 13, 1993: US Allows Firms to Sell Chemical, Biological Agents to Iraq
  17. 1984-11-26 November 26, 1984: US Restores Diplomatic Relations with Iraq
  18. 1987-04-27 April 27, 1987: Neoconservative Scholars Call on Reagan to Increase US Support for Iraq
  19. 1987-08-31 August 31, 1987: US Sends Biotoxins to Iraq
  20. 1988-08-25 August 25, 1988: Iraq Begins Poison Gas Attacks against Iraqi Kurds
  21. 1988-09-05 September 5, 1988 and After: Joseph Wilson Takes Diplomatic Post in Baghdad; Engages in ‘Moderate’ US Policy toward Iraq
  22. 1988-09-08 September 8, 1988: State Official Says Economic Sanctions Against Iraq Harmful to US
  23. 1988-09-08 September 8, 1988: Reagan Administration Kills Bill to Punish Iraq for Genocide
  24. 1989-03-24 March 24, 1989: State Department Ignores Iraq’s Chemical Weapons Industry, Advocates Broadening US-Iraq Ties
  25. 1989-08-02 August 2, 1989: Petra Bank Collapses; Ahmed Chalabi Flees
  26. 1989-10-02 October 2, 1989: Bush Signs National Security Directive Aimed at Normalizing Relations with Iraq
  27. 1989-10-02 October 2-6, 1989: Bush Authorizes Closer Ties, More Aid to Iraq
  28. 1989-10-31 October 31, 1989: Baker Demands Billion-Dollar Loan for Iraq
  29. 1989-11-02 November 2, 1989: Kuwait, CIA Agree on Policy to Pressure Iraq Over Border Dispute
  30. 1990-01-23 January 23, 1990: CIA Director Stresses Importance of Mideast Oil to US Interests
  31. 1990-02-08 February 8, 1990: General Schwarzkopf Warns Congress on the Importance of Middle East Oil
  32. 1990-04-12 April 12, 1990: Republican US Senators Call Hussein ‘Honorable,’ Say Problems Stem from ‘Clumsy Public Relations’
  33. 1990-05-28 May 28-30, 1990: Hussein Says Oil Production by Neighbors Constitutes ‘Economic Warfare’ against Iraq
  34. 1990-06-10 June 10, 1990: Investigation Finds Ahmed Chalabi Responsible for Collapse of Petra Bank
  35. 1990-07-15 July 15-17, 1990: Iraq Says ‘Oil Theft’ Will Result in Military Action against Kuwait
  36. 1990-07-17 July 17, 1990: Hussein Slams Arab Leaders for Cooperating with US, Intends to Drive Oil Prices Up to Pay Iraqi Debt
  37. 1990-07-18 July 18, 1990-August 1, 1990: Commerce Department Approves Sale of High-Tech Products to Iraqi Weapons Research Facilities
  38. 1990-07-22 July 22, 1990: Iraq Begins Military Buildup
  39. 1990-07-25 July 25, 1990 and After: US Ambassador Scapegoated for Giving Iraq Permission to Invade?
  40. 1990-07-25 July 25, 1990: Hussein Pretends to Bluff over Intent to Invade Kuwait
  41. 1990-07-25 Around July 25, 1990: US Manipulation of Iraq-Kuwait Conflict?
  42. 1990-07-25 July 25, 1990: US Ambassador Gives Seeming ‘Green Light’ for Iraq’s Invasion of Kuwait
  43. 1990-07-27 July 27, 1990: Bush Letter Equivocates on Likely Response to Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait
  44. 1990-07-31 July 31, 1990: State Department Official Confirms US Has No Mutual Defense Treaty with Kuwait
  45. 1990-07-31 July 31, 1990: US Ambassador Goes on Leave; Wilson Left in Charge of Embassy
  46. 1990-08-01 August 1-2, 1990: US Diplomat Wilson Works to Avoid Escalation of Iraq-Kuwait Conflict
  47. 1990-08-01 August 1, 1990: Iraq Conducts ‘Negotiations’ with Kuwait on Eve of Invasion
  48. 1990-08-01 August 1, 1990: US Sells $695,000 In Advanced Technology to Iraq
  49. 1990-08-02 August 2-4, 1990: Iraq Overruns Kuwait
  50. 1990-08-02 August 2, 1990: UN Security Council Demands Iraq Withdraw from Kuwait