Coalition Provisional Authority

The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) was established as a transitional government in Iraq following the invasion by the United States and the other members of the multinational coalition which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Citing UN Security Council Resolution 1483 (2003), and the laws of war, the CPA vested itself with executive, legislative, and judicial authority over the Iraqi government from the period of the CPA's inception on April 21, 2003, until its dissolution on June 28, 2004.

History of the CPA

Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) was the organization established by the United States Government which was intended to act as a caretaker administration in Iraq until the creation of a democratically elected civilian government.

Related Topics:
2003 invasion of Iraq - United States - Caretaker

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Retired United States Army Lieutenant General Jay Garner was appointed as the Director of ORHA in January of 2003. Upon the dissolution of ORHA and the creation of the CPA, he then became the first chief executive of the CPA. Due to his past military experiences in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and his reconstruction efforts in northern Iraq during Operation Provide Comfort, Garner's credentials and close ties to the U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld made him an obvious choice for the job. His term, however, lasted only from April 21, 2003, until he was replaced abruptly less than a month later by L. Paul Bremer on May 11, 2003.

Related Topics:
United States Army - Lieutenant General - Jay Garner - January - Operation Desert Storm - 1991 - Operation Provide Comfort - Secretary of Defense - Donald Rumsfeld - L. Paul Bremer - May 11

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Garner's swift dismissal from his post by U.S. authorities came as a surprise to many within the CPA. In an interview with the BBC program Newsnight, Garner publicly stated that his preference was to put the Iraqi people in charge as soon as possible and to do it with some form of elections. Privately, there was intense pressure from the U.S. Government to begin a process of removing members of the Ba'ath Party from their positions within the Iraqi government and military. Garner's refusal to implement this "de-Ba'athification" of Iraqi society as a matter of public policy infuriated several senior members of the U.S. Government, and led directly to his dismissal.

Related Topics:
BBC - Newsnight - Ba'ath Party

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Upon assuming his post in May 2003, L. Paul Bremer also assumed the title of U.S. Presidential Envoy and Administrator in Iraq, and was frequently called Ambassador by numerous media organizations and even by the White House itself. However, Mr. Bremer's Ambassadorial post was never confirmed by the U.S. Senate, his credentials were never formally presented to the Iraqi government, and there was no true U.S. diplomatic mission present in Iraq at that time.

Related Topics:
Ambassador - White House - U.S. Senate - Diplomatic mission

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The CPA was created and funded as a division of the U.S. Department of Defense, and as Administrator, Bremer reported directly to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Although troops from several of the coalition countries were present in Iraq at this time, the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) was the primary military apparatus charged with providing direct combat support to the CPA to enforce its authority throughout during the occupation of Iraq.

Related Topics:
Department of Defense - Secretary of Defense - U.S. Central Command

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While many of Saddam Hussein's ornate palaces were looted in the days immediately following the invasion, most of the physical structures themselves survived, relatively intact. It is in these numerous palaces situated throughout the country that the CPA chose to set up office in order to govern. Several of these palaces were retained by the U.S. Government even after the transition of power back to the Iraqi people.

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The CPA was also responsible for administering the Development Fund for Iraq during the year following the invasion. This fund superseded the earlier UN oil-for-food program, and provided funding for: Iraq's wheat purchase program, the currency exchange program, the electricity and oil infrastructure programs, equipment for Iraq's security forces, Iraqi civil service salaries, and the operations of the various government ministries.

Related Topics:
Development Fund for Iraq - Oil-for-food - Currency - Civil service

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On July 22, 2003, the CPA formed the Iraqi Governing Council and appointed its members. The Council membership consisted largely of Iraqi expatriates who had previously fled the country during the rule of Saddam Hussein and also with many outspoken dissidents who had been persecuted by the former regime.

Related Topics:
July 22 - 2003 - Iraqi Governing Council - Expatriates - Dissidents - Regime

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Though still subordinate to the CPA, the Iraqi Governing Council had several key responsibilities of its own. Its duties included appointing representatives to the United Nations, appointing interim ministers to Iraq's vacant cabinet positions, and drafting a temporary constitution known as the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL), which would be used to govern Iraq until a permanent constitution could be written and approved by the general electorate.

Related Topics:
United Nations - Minister - Constitution - Transitional Administrative Law - Electorate

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In the late afternoon of December 14, 2003, the CPA held a press conference at the Iraqi Forum convention center within Baghdad's Green Zone to announce that former President of Iraq Saddam Hussein had been taken into custody the previous night from a foxhole in a town near Saddam's home town of Tikrit, Iraq. Present at the announcement was Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez of the U.S. Army, Administrator Bremer, members of the British and American intelligence agencies, several members of the Iraqi Governing Council, and a large room full of journalists representing news organizations from around the world.

Related Topics:
December 14 - Press conference - Baghdad's - Green Zone - President of Iraq - Saddam Hussein - Foxhole - Tikrit - Ricardo Sanchez - British - Intelligence agencies - Journalists

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In the midst of rising tensions and civil unrest within Iraq, the CPA leadership decided to disband the CPA three days ahead of schedule, and transferred power to the newly appointed Iraqi Interim Government at 10:26 AM local time on June 28, 2004. In order to ensure his own personal safety, L. Paul Bremer left Iraq that same day.

Related Topics:
Iraqi Interim Government - June 28 - 2004

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