The following lists events in the year 2003 in Iraq. Incumbents President - Saddam Hussein (until 9 April) Prime Minister – Saddam Hussein (until 9 April) Vice President - Taha Muhie-eldin Marouf (until May) Vice President - Taha Yassin Ramadan (until May) Transitional government: Head of State - Government Administrator – Jay Montgomery Garner (9 April–6 May) Paul Bremer Head of Government - Mohammad Bahr al-Ulloum, President of the Governing Council of Iraq (13 July – 31 July) Ibrahim al-Jaafari, President of the Governing Council of Iraq (1 August – 31 August) Ahmed Chalabi, President of the Governing Council of Iraq (1 September – 30 September) Ayad Allawi, President of the Governing Council of Iraq (1 October – 31 October) Jalal Talabani, President of the Governing Council of Iraq (1 November – 30 November) Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, President of the Governing Council of Iraq (1 December – 31 December) Events January January 3 - United Nations arms inspectors from UNMOVIC have established a base of operations in Mosul, 375 kilometers or 200 miles north of Baghdad, to speed the inspection process. January 7 - French President Jacques Chirac, in a New Year's message to French forces, stated that French forces should be prepare to be activated if the United Nations decides on military action in Iraq. January 9 - UN Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix and International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohammed El Baradei give a report to the United Nations Security Council. They say that progress on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is "inching forward" but that a more "pro-active" stance is required from the Iraqi government. January 16 - UN weapons inspectors in Iraq stated that they found empty rocket warheads, designed to carry chemical warfare agents, at the Ukhaider Ammunition Storage Area. January 18 - A mass mobilization pulls together global protests against the Iraq war in cities around the world, including Tokyo, Moscow, Paris, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Cologne, Bonn, Göteborg, Istanbul, and Cairo. NION and ANSWER hold protests in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California. January 20 - As part of the plan to invade Iraq, British defence secretary Geoff Hoon announces that 26,000 British troops and equipment including 120 tanks will be sent to Kuwait, joining the 5,000 troops already on their way there. January 23 - 350 Australian troops begin their journey towards Iraq, joining the US and UK