American History Series: How Bush's War on Terror Led to Iraq

                                                                                                       
The coalition quickly defeated the Iraqi military. On April ninth, United States forces took control of Baghdad.  In a dramatic event on that day, Iraqis and American forces destroyed a large statue of Saddam Hussein in the capital. The allies controlled all major Iraqi cities.  Saddam Hussein had disappeared into hiding.

The United States turned its attention to rebuilding Iraq and establishing a new Iraqi government.  The Coalition Provisional Authority was created as a temporary government in Iraq. President Bush replaced a general with State Department official Paul Bremer as head of the Authority.  The United States remained in control of Iraq until a temporary Iraqi government could be formed. But establishing normal life in Iraq proved difficult. 
                                                                                                   
People rioted and stole things from government buildings, museums, banks and military storage centers.   In many places there was little or no electric power, running water or waste removal.  The Coalition Provisional Authority dismissed the Iraqi army and the government. Those people now had no jobs.