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The Liberation of Iraq |
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 On March 19, 2003, the United States and its Coalition partners launched the first air strikes of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On the evening of April 9, 2003, Iraqis danced and waved their country's flag in central Baghdad as U.S. Marines toppled a huge statue of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. In a matter of weeks, Hussein's decades-old regime had been removed, liberating 25 million Iraqis from one of the world's most brutal tyrannies.
- Operation Iraqi Freedom was a military success, courageously executed by American men and women in uniform. It was an operation of unparalleled precision and speed, and was carried out in a way that prevented many "worst case" scenarios: there was no widespread destruction of Iraq's oil infrastructure, no lengthy street-by-street fighting in Baghdad and no humanitarian crisis or massive flow of refugees to neighboring countries. Food and medical aid began flowing into Iraq almost immediately behind the troops, and there was no "adventurism" by Iraq's neighbors or other destabilizing action in the region.
- One year later, Iraqis are engaged in the enormous challenge of rebuilding their country after decades of neglect, and are working with the Coalition toward the creation of a secure, stable, sovereign and peaceful Iraq.
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Freedom & Sovereignty |
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 On March 8, the Iraqi Governing Council approved the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL). The TAL will serve as Iraq’s interim constitution between June 30, 2004, and December 31, 2005. An interim government will assume sovereignty on June 30th. Elections for a national assembly will be held in December 2004, paving the way for a transitional government until a permanent constitution is written and ratified by referendum in the fall of 2005.
- The TAL includes a historic Bill of Rights that is unprecedented for Iraq and the region. It guarantees the basic rights of all Iraqis, including freedom of religion and worship, the right to free expression, to peacefully assemble, to organize political parties, and to form and join unions. It also guarantees the right to peacefully demonstrate and strike, to vote, to receive a fair trial, and to be treated equally under the law. Discrimination based on gender, nationality, religion, or origin is strictly prohibited.
- In nearly all major cities and most towns and villages, Iraqi municipal councils have been formed.
- Approximately 24 Iraqi cabinet ministers also contribute leadership on a day-to-day basis to the business of the government.
- For the first time in more than a generation the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent. More than 600 Iraqi judges preside over more than 500 courts that operate independently from the Iraqi Governing Council and from the Coalition Provisional Authority.
- More than 170 independent newspapers are in print. Al Iraqia (formerly the Iraqi Media Network) is broadcasting 20 hours per day.
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Security |
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 American and Coalition armed forces are taking the offensive against remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime and terrorists in Iraq, leading more than 1,600 patrols a day and conducting an average of 180 raids a week.
- Forty-six of the 55 most wanted Hussein regime members have been captured or killed, including the brutal dictator himself, whose capture sent a powerful message to the Iraqi people that the tyranny of the past is over.
- More than 200,000 Iraqis now provide security for their fellow citizens. Iraqi security forces now account for the majority of all forces in Iraq.
- Nationwide, approximately 77,000 police officers have been hired.
- The new Iraqi Civil Defense Corps has more than 30,000 personnel operating and another 3,800 in training.
- Approximately 20,000 Iraqis serve in the Border Police Force.
- 73,000 are in the Facility Protection Service, protecting vital infrastructure from sabotage and terrorist attacks.
- More than 3,000 soldiers serve in the new Iraqi Army.
- Intelligence in Iraq has improved since the capture of Saddam Hussein: more Iraqis are telling Coalition soldiers about anti-Coalition forces, foreign fighters, and the locations of improvised explosive devices and weapons caches. Saddam's capture is also allowing the Coalition to apprehend more mid-level financiers and organizers.
- Success in training Iraqis as security forces is allowing U.S. troops to rotate back to their home stations. In May, the Coalition's forces will decrease from approximately 130,000 troops to approximately 110,000.
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Quality of Life |
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 Food: 3.3 million metric tons of food has entered Iraq. The CPA has purchased local Iraqi harvests, including 450,000 metric tons of Iraqi wheat and more than 300,000 metric tons of Iraqi barley.
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Public Health: All 240 hospitals in Iraq and more than 1,200 clinics are open. More than $210 million (U.S.) was approved in 2003 for the Iraqi Ministry of Health for pharmaceutical supplies and equipment, basic health care services, medical equipment and power generators for hospitals. (Saddam's regime spent only $13 million for health care in 2002.) Public health spending is 26 times higher than the amount spent during Saddam's reign. Doctors' salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam. More than 90% of all Iraqi children now receive routine immunizations.
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Water & Sanitation: Two-thirds of potable water production in Iraq has been restored. Three Baghdad sewage treatment plants will be rehabilitated by October 2004. The rehabilitated plants will treat nearly 800 million liters a day, benefiting 3.5 million people . The Sharkh Dijlah water treatment plant is being rehabilitated and expanded to add 225,000 cubic meters a day to Baghdad's potable water supply by summer 2004. At al Hillah Wastewater Treatment Plant civil restoration is 10 percent complete. In the south, work has begun on 12 of 14 water treatment plants, and 80 percent of the 250 pumps have been delivered.
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Electricity: Power generation surpassed 4,400 megawatts of electricity in late 2003. Six months prior, the country could barely generate 300 megawatts. Iraq and Jordan have set up a joint long-term project to construct an electrical distribution grid the two countries will share.
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Telecommunications: There are now more than 900,000 telephone subscribers and 225,000 wireless subscribers in Iraq -- a 10% higher subscription rate than before the war.
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Economy: Average crude oil production has reached 2.5 million barrels per day; since June 2003 oil sales have generated more than $5 billion in revenue for Iraqi reconstruction. Iraq's new central bank is fully independent, and banks are making loans to finance businesses. More than 95 percent of all pre-war bank customers have service. In October 2003 the new Iraqi dinar went into circulation, providing a unified currency for all of Iraq.
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Education |
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 American and Coalition armed forces are taking the offensive against remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime and terrorists in Iraq, leading more than 1,600 patrols a day and conducting an average of 180 raids a week.
- Forty-six of the 55 most wanted Hussein regime members have been captured or killed, including the brutal dictator himself, whose capture sent a powerful message to the Iraqi people that the tyranny of the past is over.
- More than 200,000 Iraqis now provide security for their fellow citizens. Iraqi security forces now account for the majority of all forces in Iraq.
- Nationwide, approximately 77,000 police officers have been hired.
- The new Iraqi Civil Defense Corps has more than 30,000 personnel operating and another 3,800 in training.
- Approximately 20,000 Iraqis serve in the Border Police Force.
- 73,000 are in the Facility Protection Service, protecting vital infrastructure from sabotage and terrorist attacks.
- More than 3,000 soldiers serve in the new Iraqi Army.
- Intelligence in Iraq has improved since the capture of Saddam Hussein: more Iraqis are telling Coalition soldiers about anti-Coalition forces, foreign fighters, and the locations of improvised explosive devices and weapons caches. Saddam's capture is also allowing the Coalition to apprehend more mid-level financiers and organizers.
- l Success in training Iraqis as security forces is allowing U.S. troops to rotate back to their home stations. In May, the Coalition's forces will decrease from approximately 130,000 troops to approximately 110,000.
- All 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
- The Fulbright Scholarship Program was restarted in January 2004 -- 25 Iraqi students received scholarships.
- More than 5.5 million children went back to school in 2003, free from Saddam's repressive regime. Iraqi children no longer have to recite “long live the leader Saddam Hussein” each morning. Schoolbooks are being reprinted with all references to Saddam Hussein and the Ba'athist Party removed.
- Schools facilities, which fell into disrepair under Saddam's regime, have been cleaned and refurbished.
- The Coalition rehabilitated more than 2,300 schools for the 2003-2004 school year.
- 3,900 secondary schools have received 159,000 student desks, 26,437 teacher desks and chairs, and 61,000 chalkboards.
- 58,500 teacher kits including rulers, geometric triangles, compasses, pens, an attendance register and chalk have been distributed.
- 1.5 million secondary school children received a shoulder bag, notebooks, pencils, pens, a calculator and rulers.
- 8.7 million textbooks have been distributed to primary and secondary schools -- one book for every two students, compared to one for every six students prior to the conflict.
- Schools facilities, which fell into disrepair under Saddam's regime, have been cleaned and refurbished.
- More than 36,000 Iraqis have been hired to help rehabilitate the schools. They are working alongside Coalition troops, non-governmental organizations and USAID contractors.
- Under a CPA program, every public school in Baghdad receives a $750 grant to meet urgent needs to improve its learning environment.
- Teachers are receiving higher pay and better training.
- Teachers currently earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
- In October 2003 more than 100 teachers, principals and supervisors earned their "Master Teacher Trainer" certification. These educators were first in the program, which trains educators to teach each other. They will train teachers throughout Iraq.
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International Support |
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 A broad coalition of nations is providing support for efforts to stabilize and rebuild Iraq: 34 countries, including 11 of the 19 NATO countries, have provided more than 25,000 troops to help secure Iraq. There are two multinational divisions in Iraq: one led by the United Kingdom in central-south Iraq and one led by Poland with forces from 17 nations.
- In southern Iraq, the transition to Multinational Division Southeast and Multinational Division South is complete. Japanese troops are now part of Multinational Division South. In their first deployment into a combat environment since World War II, they are providing medical assistance, water supplies and helping to reconstruct public facilities.
- The international community has pledged at least $32 billion to improve schools, health care, roads, water and electricity supplies, agriculture and other essential services.
- The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, the European Union, and 38 countries have pledged to extend loans and grants to Iraq. Other nations are contributing humanitarian assistance, extending export credits and reducing Iraqi debt.
- The UN Security Council on Oct. 16, 2003, unanimously approved Resolution 1511 that calls on member states to support the work of the multinational force in Iraq. The resolution also calls on member states to contribute both military forces and financial support for Iraq’s reconstruction.
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