2003 World Events · Counterterror expansion and networked conflict
U.S.-led invasion of Iraq
Coalition forces invaded Iraq, toppled Saddam Hussein, and began a long occupation and insurgency.
Evidence-led reading
What is stated, why it matters, and what remains uncertain
What this is
A specific-event record selected from the protected World Events source ledger for cross-year research. It is not an exhaustive account of 2003.
Why it matters
It reshaped Middle East geopolitics, counterinsurgency, jihadist mobilization, and global legitimacy debates.
What is established here
The page faithfully exposes the submitted record and its source boundary. No claim-level evidence packet has yet upgraded the record beyond a research starting point.
What remains uncertain
Starting-point source from the submitted dataset; verify exact dates, attribution, legal posture, casualty figures, and current status before reuse.
Record narrative
Source-bounded summary
Coalition forces invaded Iraq, toppled Saddam Hussein, and began a long occupation and insurgency.
It reshaped Middle East geopolitics, counterinsurgency, jihadist mobilization, and global legitimacy debates.
Structured fields
Record at a glance
- Stable record ID
- 2003-003
- Date or period
- 2003-03-20 onward
- Type
- Military campaign
- Focus
- Military
- Impact scope
- Global
- Priority
- 5 of 5
- Location label
- Baghdad, Iraq
- Coordinate precision
- City-level coordinate
- Actors named by the source record
- United States; United Kingdom; Iraq; coalition forces
- Verification state
- source-start-point; sensitive details require independent verification
Geographic context
A coordinate locator, not a surveyed event footprint
The submitted record supplies 33.3152, 44.3661 with the precision label “City-level coordinate.” Multi-location events, disputed borders, campaigns, and broad regions cannot be reduced to one point.
Review location and coordinate boundariesSource and verification boundary
This remains a starting-point record
Starting-point source from the submitted dataset; verify exact dates, attribution, legal posture, casualty figures, and current status before reuse.
Citation and correction
Use the stable record ID and challenge individual propositions
A correction may concern the date, place, actors, attribution, legal status, figures, coordinate precision, source characterization, or why-pivotal summary without invalidating every other field.
2IA — International Intelligence Archive. “U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.” World Events record 2003-003. Reviewed July 27, 2026. https://2ia.org/world-events/2003/2003-003/