THE IMPACT OF THE UNITED STATES INVASION OF IRAQ IN 2003 ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IRAQ

Since the evolution of modern state sovereignty donates the final authority of the state over its population and territory. This authority may be exercised by the government of the day. The state which is sovereign is free from external aggression. In the contemporary world the meaning of sovereignty has changed the concept is now associated with different roles and practices rather than the single notion of supreme authority within a given territory or being independent from external control or interference. Based on the new conception of sovereignty the united states decided to invade Iraq on the Pretext that Iraq had some powerful connections with

Alqa’ida a terrorist organization who was alleged to have attacked the world trade center on September 11, 2001. From this point, several commentators have wondered what the invasion of Iraq had suggested about the US and the obligation of the United Nations. The UN as a matter of fact most protect the interest of any nation which is subjected to external aggression, however, the UN folded its arms when Iraq in 2003 was under attack by the United States and its allies, which brings entirely about the question of sovereignty, because the invasion violated Iraq’s independent and territorial integrity. The question we may ask is why the US did invaded Iraq? And what role did the United Nations played to protect the sovereignty of Iraq?, this research heavily relied on the secondary data to substantiate its findings. So it was discovered from this research numerous reasons were behind the US invasion of Iraq, such as the Perceived threat by the US that Sadam Husaain produces nuclear weapons and a friend to Alqaeda, secondly there was a question of oil. Another case in point is that the UN has not been able to leave up to its expectations because it was unable to protect the territorial integrity of Iraq, it could therefore be said that the US is the United Nations.

Before the collapse of the Soviet Union however, that is during the period of bipolar structure, the concept of international law and that of state‟s sovereignty was much respected it was used to checkmate any attempt of aggression from powerful state over the weaker ones.

Bipolar structure had strikes a balance between the two world super powers. Nation states especially those from the developing world tends to forge an alliance with either of the two blocks mainly for security reasons.

In most recent years, however, following the end of the cold war political analysts began to be skeptical on what will be the fate of nation states in future world politics as the United States is becoming very aggressive and indicative in achieving her Foreign Policy Objectives. In the submission of (Ziring, 2005:191) the prominence of the United States in the absence of countervailing power was of some consequence to friend and the foe alike.