March 19, 2003
Operation Iraqi Freedom begins.

 

April 19, 2004
John Negroponte nominated as Ambassador to Iraq.

 

May 6, 2004
Ambassador Negroponte confirmed by Senate.

 

May 11, 2004
National Security Presidential Directive 36, “United States Government Operations in Iraq,” issued.

 

May 15, 2004
Multi-National Force–Iraq (MNF-I) established and commanded by LTG Rick Sanchez.

 

May 24, 2004
President George W. Bush delivers speech on Iraq at Army War College.

 

May 26, 2004
GEN George W. Casey, Jr., nominated to command MNF-I.

 

June 8, 2004
United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1546 unanimously approved by Security Council.

 

June 14–20, 2004
GEN Casey visits Iraq with Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.

 

June 26, 2004
GEN Casey confirmed by Senate to command MNF-I.

 

June 28, 2004
U.S. Government transfers sovereignty to Iraq.

 

July 1, 2004
GEN Casey takes command of MNF-I.

 

July 7, 2004
First meeting of Strategic Action Committee, a deputies-level meeting to frame security issues for Iraqi and U.S. leaders.

 

July 8, 2004
First meeting of Ministerial Committee for National Security, the primary forum for Iraqi and U.S. leaders to jointly address security issues.

 

July 15, 2004
Red Team assessment, “Building Legitimacy and Confronting

 

Insurgency in Iraq,” published. Assessment completed at joint request of Ambassador Negroponte and GEN Casey.

 

August 5, 2004
MNF-I 2005 campaign plan, “Operation Iraqi Freedom—Partnership: From Occupation to Constitutional Elections,” published.

 

August 5–27, 2004
Battle of Najaf.

 

August 18, 2004
U.S. Embassy/MNF-I joint mission statement published.

 

September 2004
MNF-I counterinsurgency study conducted as historical review of best practices.

 

November 2, 2004
President Bush is reelected.

 

November 8–18, 2004
Battle of Fallujah.

 

December 5, 2004
First Campaign Progress Review published.

 

December 14–20, 2004
GEN Casey returns to Washington for consultations. Also visits Fort Bragg to direct incoming XVIII Corps to begin preparing to implement partnership and transition teams on arrival with internal assets.

 

January 30, 2005
Iraqis vote to elect a Transitional National Assembly in first democratic elections in Iraq since 1954. Eight million Iraqis—58 percent of electorate—turn out to vote.

 

February–May 2005
Iraqi government transitions from Iraqi Interim Government (IIG) to Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG).

 

February 7, 2005
Second U.S. Embassy/MNF-I joint mission statement, “A Plan for the Year Ahead: Transition to Self-Reliance,” published.

 

February 10, 2005
Multi-National Corps–Iraq (MNC-I) transition of authority from III Corps, commanded by LTG Tom Metz, to XVIII Airborne Corps, commanded by LTG John Vines.

 

March 2005
Ambassador Negroponte departs Iraq.

 

April 2005
Phoenix Academy, a training center for incoming transition teams, established.

 

 

 

April 22, 2005
MNF-I campaign action plan, “Transition to Self-Reliance,” published, emphasizing development of Iraqi security forces (ISF) capacity and establishing transition team and partnership programs and initial framework for transition of security responsibility to Iraqis.

 

May 2005
Transition readiness assessment developed to measure ISF capabilities. First report delivered in June.

 

May 2005
ITG seated. Transitional National Assembly begins drafting constitution.

 

June 15, 2005
Seven Provincial Support Teams, the predecessor to Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), established.

 

June 22, 2005
Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad arrives.

 

June 22–28, 2005
GEN Casey visits Washington for consultations.

 

June 27, 2005
Second Campaign Progress Review (December 2004–June 2005) published.

 

July–August 2005
MNF-I conducts survey to determine how well coalition forces are applying counterinsurgency doctrine.

 

July–December 2005
MNF-I military operations focus on restoring Iraqi control to Iraq’s western border. Third Armored Cavalry Regiment reinforces Tal Afar–Mosul corridor. Western Euphrates River Valley campaign conducted in Anbar Province.

 

August 16, 2005
U.S.-Iraqi Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility

 

established to set conditions for gradual transition of security to appropriate Iraqi authorities.

 

September 2005
Intelligence task force established to track sectarian violence in Iraq.

 

September 2005
COIN Academy established; first class conducted in November 2005.

 

September 5, 2005
Command of Multi-National Security Transition Command–Iraq

 

changes from LTG David Petraeus to LTG Martin Dempsey.

 

September 10, 2005
Assessment on transition teams published.

 

September 27–October 3, 2005
GEN Casey visits Washington for consultations.

 

October 2005
Responsibility for developing Ministry of the Interior (MOI)

 

moved from U.S. Embassy to MNF-I.

 

October 15, 2005
Iraqis approve constitution drafted by Transitional National

 

Assembly. Ten million Iraqis vote; 78.6 favor constitution.

 

October 30, 2005
“Strategic Planning Directive (November 2005–April 2006)—Making the Elections Decisive” published to bridge uncertainty of new government formation period. Tenets include “Al Qaeda out,” “Sunni in,” and “ISF in the lead.”

 

 

 

November 2005
PRTs approved for Mosul, Kirkuk, and Babil provinces.

 

November 30, 2005
Illegal MOI detention facility discovered in Baghdad.

 

November 30, 2005
National Strategy for Victory in Iraq issued by White House.

 

December 6, 2005
Third U.S. Embassy/MNF-I joint mission statement published.

 

December 15, 2005
11.8 million Iraqis (76 percent of registered voters) elect members of Iraqi assembly under new constitution; government formation period begins.

 

December 20, 2005
Third Campaign Progress Review published.

 

December 24, 2005
First off-ramp of two coalition brigades announced following successful completion of UNSCR 1546 political timeline.

 

January 19, 2006
MNC-I transition of authority from XVIII Airborne Corps to V Corps, commanded by LTG Peter Chiarelli.

 

February 22, 2006
Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra bombed, inflaming sectarian tensions.

 

February 24, 2006
MNF-I publishes “Strategic Directive: Golden Mosque Bombing” to direct actions in aftermath of al-Askari Mosque bombing.

 

March 14–June 14, 2006
Operation Scales of Justice stabilizes situation in Baghdad sufficiently to allow establishment of constitutionally elected government of Iraq.

 

April 21, 2006
Nuri al-Maliki chosen to replace Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari, becoming the first democratically elected prime minister of Iraq under new constitution.

 

April 28, 2006
New joint campaign plan, “Operation Iraqi Freedom Transition to Iraqi Self-Reliance,” published, projecting December 2009 as time when Iraqis would be self-reliant for security.

 

May 20, 2006
Prime Minister al-Maliki’s government confirmed by Iraqi parliament. Security ministers not confirmed for 2 more weeks.

 

June 7, 2006
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, killed during U.S. air raid.

 

June 7, 2006
New security ministers confirmed.

 

June 9, 2006
Joint campaign action plan, “Unity, Security, Prosperity,” published.

 

June 12, 2006
Camp David discussions. Ambassador Khalilzad and GEN Casey participate by secure video teleconference.

 

June 14, 2006
Fourth Campaign Progress Review published.

 

June 15–August 6, 2006
Operation Together Forward I. (Baghdad security), the new government’s first attempt to halt sectarian violence in capital, meets with initial success but flounders as ISF do not consistently hold cleared areas.

 

June 19–23, 2006
GEN Casey visits Washington for consultations.

 

July 13, 2006
Muthanna becomes first Iraqi province to assume security responsibility.

 

July 18, 2006
Anticipated off-ramp of U.S. forces canceled.

 

July 19, 2006
Joint Committee to Achieve Iraqi Security Self-Reliance established to refine framework for Iraqi assumption of security responsibility, continuing work of Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility.

 

July 28, 2006
172^nd Stryker Brigade extended 4 months in Iraq to address sharp increase in sectarian violence.

 

August 7–October 22, 2006
Operation Together Forward II (Baghdad security) initiated to reduce sectarian violence before Ramadan.

 

September 21, 2006
Dhi Qar becomes second Iraqi province to assume security responsibility.

 

October–December 2006
U.S. Government review of Iraq policy.

 

October 7–11, 2006
GEN Casey visits Washington for consultations.

 

November 7, 2006
U.S. midterm elections.

 

November 8, 2006
Donald Rumsfeld resigns as Secretary of Defense and President Bush nominates Robert Gates.

 

November 30, 2006
Meeting in Amman, Jordan, with President Bush and Prime Minister al-Maliki.

 

December 6, 2006
Iraq Study Group report released.

 

December 14, 2006
MNC-I transition of authority from V Corps to III Corps, commanded by LTG Ray Odierno.

 

December 20, 2006
Najaf becomes third Iraqi province to assume security responsibility.

 

December 23, 2006
Fifth Campaign Progress Review published, noting that because of sectarian violence, objectives were not being achieved within planned timeframes. Review stated that improvements in bringing all elements of national power to bear were necessary.

 

December 23, 2006
Prime Minister al-Maliki approves new Baghdad security plan and additional deployment of U.S. forces.

 

December 30, 2006
Saddam Hussein executed by hanging.

 

 

 

January 6, 2007
In Iraqi Army Day speech, Prime Minister al-Maliki announces government support for ISF and new Baghdad security plan and agrees to take action against “all who break the law.”

 

January 10, 2007
President Bush delivers speech to Nation, announcing deployment of five brigades to Iraq.

 

February 8, 2007
GEN Casey confirmed as Army chief of staff.

 

February 10, 2007
GEN Casey passes command of MNF-I to GEN Petraeus.