▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁attacks ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁September ▁ 1 1 ▁attacks ▁led ▁the ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁administration ▁to ▁in va de ▁Afghan istan ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁over throw ▁the ▁Tal ib an ▁regime , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁har bour ing ▁Bin ▁L aden ▁and ▁al - Q a ida . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁its ▁al lies ▁described ▁this ▁operation ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁global ▁" W ar ▁on ▁T error ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁U . S . ▁Def ense ▁Secretary ▁Donald ▁Rum sf eld ▁developed ▁a ▁plan ▁to ▁in va de ▁Ira q , ▁remove ▁S add am ▁from ▁power , ▁and ▁turn ▁Ira q ▁into ▁a ▁dem ocr atic ▁state ▁with ▁a ▁free - market ▁economy , ▁which ▁they ▁hoped ▁would ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁model ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁East . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁its ▁principal ▁al lies — B rit ain , ▁Italy , ▁Spain , ▁and ▁Australia — could ▁not ▁secure ▁United ▁Nations ▁appro val ▁for ▁the ▁execution ▁of ▁the ▁numerous ▁UN ▁resolution s , ▁so ▁they ▁launched ▁an ▁invasion ▁of ▁Ira q ▁and ▁de posed ▁S add am ▁without ▁much ▁difficulty ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁advent ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁western ▁army ▁of ▁occupation ▁in ▁a ▁Middle ▁Eastern ▁capital ▁marked ▁a ▁turning ▁point ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁region . ▁Despite ▁successful ▁elections ▁( although ▁boy c otted ▁by