What role did the Coalition Provisional Authority play in Iraq after 2003?

Following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the fall of the Baʿth Party, the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) was established as the governing body for the country. Led by director L. Paul Bremer III, the CPA was tasked with maintaining security and rebuilding Iraq’s damaged infrastructure.12

Key actions and roles of the CPA included:
* Governance and Administration: The CPA assumed direct control of the country, appointing an Iraqi governing council that held only limited powers. It also removed members of the former Baʿthist regime from positions of authority.21
* Security and Reconstruction: The authority worked to restore basic services, rebuild the Iraqi police force, and increase the presence of U.S. military police in Baghdad.1
* Controversial Policies: The CPA faced significant criticism for its decision to disband the Iraqi army.1
* Transition of Power: The CPA postponed the establishment of an Iraqi transitional government until it officially transferred sovereignty to an Iraqi provisional government on June 28, 2004.13

Throughout its tenure, the CPA’s efforts were severely hampered by an escalating insurgency involving various groups, including remnants of the former regime and al-Qaeda in Iraq.2