1990 Nov. 29 - UN orders Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait by
Jan. 15, 1991.
1991 Jan. 17 - The Gulf War starts as coalition forces
begin bombing Iraq.
1991 Feb. 24 - Ground invasion of Iraq and Kuwait
commences. Kuwait is liberated three days later.
1991 Mar. 3 - Iraq accepts the cease-fire. The primary
cease-fire resolution requires Iraq to end its programs for
weapons-of-mass-destruction (WMD), recognize Kuwait, account for
missing Kuwaitis, return Kuwaiti property, and end support for
international terrorism.
1991 Mid-March/early April - Iraq suppresses Shiite
uprisings in the south and Kurdish uprisings in the north, creating
a humanitarian disaster on the borders with Turkey and Iran.
1991 April 7 - The US and coalition partners establish the
no-fly zone over northern Iraq.
1991 April 8 - A plan for the establishment of a UN haven
in northern Iraq for Kurds is approved by the European Union. The US
orders Iraq to end military action in this area.
1991 April - Working with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) is established to
ensure Iraq is free of WMD.
1992 August 26 - A no-fly zone is established in southern
Iraq and patrolled by British, French and US aircraft.
1993 June 27 - US forces fire Cruise missiles at an Iraqi
intelligence building in Baghdad, in response to the attempted
assassination of former President George Bush in Kuwait in
April.
1995 April 14 - The UN allows the partial resumption of
Iraq's oil exports to buy food and medicine as part of an "oil for
food" program.
1996 March-June - UN inspection teams are denied access to
militarily sensitive areas.
1996 June - A CIA-backed coup attempt against Saddam
Hussein is foiled. Participants are executed.
1997 Oct. 29 - Iraq demands that Americans on the UN
inspection team leave; they go but return on Nov. 20.
1998 Jan 13-22 - Iraq withdraws cooperation with UN
inspectors, claiming some are British and American spies.
Feb. 23 - Iraq promises UN inspectors unrestricted
access.
Oct. 31 - Iraq ends cooperation with UNSCOM.
Nov. 14 - Iraq allows inspections to resume.
Dec. 16 - UN inspection teams are withdrawn, after
concluding that Iraq is not cooperating fully.
Dec. 16-19 - US and Britain launch a bombing campaign
"Operation Desert Fox," to destroy suspected WMD.
Dec. 17 - UN creates the UN Monitoring, Verification and
Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) to replace UNSCOM. Iraq rejects the
new body.
2000 August - Baghdad Airport reopened, resulting in a
stream of flights by countries and organizations to campaign against
sanctions.
October - Commercial air links reestablished between Iraq
and Russia, Ireland, and the Middle East.
November - Iraq rejects new weapons-inspections
proposals.
2001 Free-trade zone agreements set up with neighboring
countries. Rail link with Turkey reopened in May.
February - Britain and US planes launch raids to try and
disable Iraq's air defense network.
2002 Jan. 30 - President Bush says Iraq is part of an
"axis of evil" during his State of the Union address.
May - UN overhauls the prohibited-goods list, creating
"smart sanctions" which focus on military and dual-use
equipment.
Aug. 2 - In a letter to the UN secretary-general, Iraq
invites Hans Blix to Iraq for talks on remaining disarmament
issues.
Sept. 12 - President Bush, addressing the UN General
Assembly, challenges the UN to confront the "grave and gathering
danger" of Iraq - or stand aside as the United States and likeminded
nations act.
Sept. 16 - Iraq says it will allow international weapons
inspectors to return "without conditions."
Sept. 30 - UN and Iraq discuss terms for weapons
inspections. But talks leave eight presidential compounds off
limits, and US seeks authorization for a use of force if Iraq fails
to comply with inspections.
Oct. 10 - Congress adopts joint resolution authorizing use
of force against Iraq.
Oct. 16 - Iraq renews offer to UN weapons inspectors after
"referendum" gives Saddam Hussein another seven-year term as
president with 100 percent of the vote.
Nov. 8 - UN Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution
1441, which outlines an enhanced inspection regime for Iraq's
disarmament to be conducted by the IAEA.
Nov. 18 - UN weapons inspectors return to Baghdad.
Dec. 7 - Iraq provides UN weapons inspectors with 12,000
pages of information comprising a "complete declaration" of the
regime's chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons programs. Iraq
states in the declaration that there are no weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq.
Dec. 19 - UNMOVIC Chairman Hans Blix tells UNSC members
that the declaration "is essentially a reorganized version" of
information Iraq provided UNSCOM in 1997.
2003 Jan. 12 - The Turkish government gives US military
planners permission to examine ports and airstrips to see what
upgrades are needed for a war against Iraq.
Jan. 16 - In their first significant discovery, UN weapons
inspectors find 12 warheads designed to carry chemical weapons. The
inspectors suggest the warheads were not accounted for in Iraq's
12,000-page report.
Jan. 16 - Weapons-inspections chiefs report to the
Security Council that, while Iraq has provided access to facilities,
concerns remain regarding undeclared material, inability to
interview Iraqi scientists, inability to deploy aerial surveillance
during inspections, and harassment of inspectors.
Jan. 28 - Bush says Saddam Hussein "is not disarming. To
the contrary, he is deceiving," during his State of the Union
address to Congress. "He has shown utter contempt for the United
Nations and the opinion of the world," Bush says.
Feb 5 - Colin Powell uses satellite photos and audiotapes
of intercepts in a bid to win over international opinion during a UN
security council presentation.
Mar. 1 - UNMOVIC orders Iraq to destroy all its illegally
imported Al Samoud 2 missiles and 380 rocket engines.
Mar. 1 -The Turkish parliament denies US military forces
access to bases in that country.
Mar. 5 - France, Germany, and Russia release a joint
declaration stating they will "not allow" a resolution authorizing
military action to pass the UN Security Council.
Mar. 7 - The US, Britain, and Spain introduce a revised UN
resolution that gives Iraq a Mar. 17 deadline to rid itself of
WMD.
Mar. 16 - The leaders of the US, Britain, Spain, and
Portugal meet on the Azores, issuing a one-day deadline for
diplomacy. They warn war could start immediately
Mar. 17 - The US and Britain withdraw their draft Security
Council resolution and advise weapons inspectors to evacuate Iraq.
During a televised address, President Bush issues an ultimatum to
Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq within 48 hours during a televised
address
Sources: US State Department, GlobalSecurity.org, The Guardian,
and the BBC