2003 World History
George W. Bush
(1946– )
Saddam Hussein
(1937– )
INA/Reuters/Archive Photos
Donald H. Rumsfeld
(1932– )
Paul Martin
(1938– )
|
-
2003
- North Korea withdraws
from treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons (Jan. 10).
Illinois governor George Ryan commutes 167
death row sentences, calling capital punishment flawed (Jan. 11).
White House announces huge deficits expected to top $200 billion in 2003
(Jan. 15). The UN's report on Iraqi weapons inspections is highly
critical, but not damning (Jan. 27). In State of the Union
address, Bush announces that he is ready to attack Iraq even without a
UN mandate (Jan. 28). Ariel Sharon elected
Israeli prime minister (Jan. 29). Space shuttle
Columbia explodes, killing all seven
astronauts (Feb. 1). Nine-week general strike in Venezuela
calling for President Chavez's resignation ends in defeat (Feb.
2). U.S. Secretary of State Powell presents Iraq war rationale to UN, citing Iraqi weapons as imminent
threat to world security (Feb. 5). Massive peace demonstrations
take place around the world, protesting potential invasion of Iraq
(Feb. 15). UN Security Council members France, Germany, and
Russia insist that “the military option should only be a last
resort” concerning Iraq (Feb. 24). Serbian prime minister
Zoran Djindjic assassinated (March 12). Hu Jintao succeeds
Chinese president Jiang Zemin (March 15). The United States and
Britain launch war against Iraq (March 19). Baghdad falls to U.S.
troops (April 9). European Union expands by ten nations (April
16). First Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, sworn in
(April 29). U.S.-backed “road map” for peace proposed
for Middle East (April 30). The United States declares official
end to combat operations in Iraq (May 1). U.S. diplomat Paul Bremer becomes civil
administrator of occupied Iraq (May 12). Terrorists strike in
Saudi Arabia, killing 34
at Western compound; al-Qaeda suspected
(May 12). Bush signs ten-year,
$350-billion tax-cut package, the third-largest tax cut in U.S. history
(May 28). Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi again
placed under house arrest by military regime (May 30). Eric
Rudolph, Olympic bombing suspect, arrested (May 31).
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) discovers Iran's concealed nuclear
activities and calls for intensified inspections (June 18). The
U.S. Supreme Court decisively upholds the use of affirmative
action in higher education (June 23).
Palestinian militant groups announce cease-fire toward Israel (June
29). Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announces
price of Iraq war is about $3.9 billion a month, nearly double the April
estimate (July 9). Iraq's interim governing council is
inaugurated (July 13). Saddam Hussein's sons killed in firefight
(July 22). Mutinous troops attempt unsuccessful coup in
Philippines (July 27). Terrorist bombing at Indonesian hotel
kills ten (Aug. 6). Liberia's autocratic president Charles Taylor forced to
leave civil war–ravaged country (Aug. 11). NATO assumes
control of peacekeeping force in Afghanistan (Aug.
11). Libya accepts blame for
1988 bombing of flight over Lockerbie, Scotland; agrees to pay $2.7
billion to the families of the 270 victims (Aug. 15). Suicide
bombing destroys UN headquarters in Baghdad, killing 24, including top
envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello (Aug. 19). Palestinian suicide bombing in Jerusalem kills 20
Israelis, including 6 children (Aug. 19). Venezuelan opposition
files petition for referendum to recall President Hugo Chavez (Aug.
20). After Israel retaliates for suicide bombing by killing top
member of Hamas, militant Palestinian groups formally withdraw from
cease-fire in effect since June 29 (Aug. 24). Investigation into
the loss of space shuttle
Columbia cites egregious organizational
problems at NASA (Aug. 25). Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas resigns;
“road map” to peace effectively collapses (Sept. 6).
California governor Gray Davis ousted in recall vote; actor Arnold Schwarzenegger elected in his place (Oct. 7). UN votes in favor of a resolution
ordering Israel to end construction of security barrier dividing Israeli
and Palestinian areas (Oct. 24). Bush signs bill banning
so-called partial-birth abortion procedure (Nov. 5). President
Bush signs $87.5 billion emergency package for post-war Iraq
reconstruction; this supplements $79 billion approved in April (Nov.
5). New Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qurei takes
office (Nov. 12). Alabama chief justice Roy S. Moore forced from
office after his refusal to remove monument of the Ten Commandments
(Nov. 13). The Bush administration reverses policy, agrees to
transfer power to an interim Iraqi government sooner than originally
planned (Nov. 14). Suicide bombers attack two synagogues in
Istanbul, Turkey, killing 25 (Nov. 15). Massachusetts Supreme
Court rules in favor of gay marriage (Nov. 18). Another terrorist
attack in Istanbul kills 26; al-Qaeda suspected in both (Nov. 20).
Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze resigns after weeks of protests (Nov. 23). John A. Muhammad, convicted in the 2002 Washington, DC, area shootings, receives death
sentence (Nov. 24). President Bush eliminates steel tariffs after
WTO says U.S. violated trade laws (Dec. 4). Paul Martin succeeds
Jean Chretien as Canadian prime minister
(Dec. 12). Saddam Hussein is
captured by American troops (Dec. 13). Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi announces
he will give up weapons program (Dec. 19).
Fact Monster/Information Please®
Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
|
