Chronology to war in Iraq

Associated Press

Key events in the crisis over Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction

• Aug. 2, 1990: Iraq invades Kuwait, which Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had accused of overproducing oil and pushing prices down just when he needed oil revenues to recover from 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. U.N. Security Council imposes trade embargo against Iraq and later authorizes use of force to liberate Kuwait.

• Jan.17, 1991: U.S.-led coalition launches air war against Iraq. Ground offensive begins the next month and Iraqi troops are quickly overwhelmed.

• Feb. 26, 1991: Kuwait liberated.

• March 2, 1991: U.N. Security council lays down conditions, including destruction of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and reparations for Kuwait.

• Dec. 16, 1998: U.N. weapons inspectors withdrawn from Iraq, which is accused of failing to cooperate with international attempt to find and destroy its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs. Hours later, four days of U.S.-British air and missile strikes on Baghdad begin.

• Dec. 17, 1999: U.N. Security Council issues resolution creating new Iraqi disarmament commission.

• Jan. 27, 2000: Iraq says it will not deal with new chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix.

• Jan. 29, 2002: In his State of the Union speech, President Bush lists Iraq, Iran and North Korea and says, "States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world."

• Sept. 12, 2002: Bush urges the United Nations to confront and disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and back previous U.N. resolutions ordering disarmament.

• Oct. 10-11, 2002: Congress votes to give the president authority to use force against Iraq. House vote was 296-133; Senate was 77-23.

• Nov. 8, 2002: U.N. Security Council unanimously approves resolution threatening Iraqi President Saddam Hussein with "serious consequences" if he does not disarm.

• Nov. 27, 2002: U.N. experts begin work in Iraq under Nov. 8 resolution.

• Dec. 7, 2002: Iraq delivers to United Nations declaration denying it has weapons of mass destruction; later, United States says declaration is untruthful and United Nations says it is incomplete.

• Jan. 27: Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix tells the Security Council that Iraq has not genuinely accepted demands to disarm and should cooperate more.

• Feb. 14: In his second report to the Security Council, Blix gives Iraq's response to weapons inspections mixed reviews, but says the country has taken some positive steps.

• Feb. 15: Millions turn out in cities worldwide to protest the United States' threatened war with Iraq. Bush would later say the size of the protests is irrelevant to his decision.

• March 1: Iraq begins destroying banned Al Samoud 2 missiles. Turkish parliament votes not to allow U.S. troops to use Turkey to open a northern front against Iraq.

• March 5: In advance of a Security Council meeting on March 7, France, Germany and Russia issue a joint statement declaring, "We will not let a proposed resolution pass that would authorize the use of force" against Iraq. They call for more active cooperation by Iraq and the acceleration of "increasingly encouraging" inspections.

• March 6: In a rare, prime-time news conference, Bush said weapons inspections have become a "willful charade" and makes clear the United States would act to disarm Iraq even if the U.N. Security Council votes against a resolution authorizing force. Still, Bush said he would seek a council vote to put countries on record to "let the world know where they stand" on Saddam.

• March 7: Deep divisions at the Security Council hardened following a Blix report that Iraq is improving its cooperation. Blix says disarmament could be done in months. United States, Britain and Spain propose ordering Saddam to give up banned weapons by March 17 or face war; other nations led by France on polarized U.N. Security Council oppose any new resolution that would authorize military action.

• March 17: United States, Britain and Spain withdraw proposed resolution, saying time for diplomacy has run out. Bush declares Saddam must flee Iraq or face a U.S.-led invasion.

• March 18: Iraq's leadership rejects Bush's ultimatum.

• March 20: U.S. forces launched a surgical military strike against a "target of opportunity" near Baghdad early morning Baghdad time. White House announces, "The opening stages of the disarmament of the Iraqi regime have begun."