Iraq is a state in the Middle East that was created as a consequence of the British Empire drawing borders after the First World War. The country contains three main groups: Arab Sunni's, Arab Shia's and Kurds. During the turbulent 20th century the Ba'ath Party comes to power in Iraq and eventually Saddam Hussein who conducts a ruthless dictatorship and violates the human rights of his citizens. After the Gulf War Saddam Hussein's regime is under UN sanctions but this does not lead to the fall of the regime. In 2003 the United States of America with a coalition of allies conducts an invasion of Iraq. The cause of the intervention is liberal interventionism expressed through the Bush Doctrine. The goals of the invasion are: 1. remove the regime of Saddam Hussein, 2. destroy the capacity of the regime of Saddam Hussein to use weapons of mass destruction or to offer them to terrorists, 3. create a free and prosperous Iraq. The first two goals are achieved in 2003 but a combination of coalition policies, especially those of the American political leadership, and local circumstances undermine the creation of a successful Iraqi democracy. While before the invasion the Sunni's under Saddam's regime dominated other groups, after the invasion the Shia use the new democratic institutions to seize power and marginalise the Sunni's and Kurds. The final outcome of this trend is the authoritarian regime under premier Nouri al-Maliki which in later years starts resembling Saddam's regime. As a consequence of Sunni marginatisation the ascendancy of ISIS and general war in Iraq happens which causes a new American intervention. After the defeat of ISIS positive changes are visible but many problems remain. Iraq; Sunni; Shia; Kurds; Ba'ath Party; Saddam Hussein; United States of America; Bush Doctrine; Liberal interventionism; Nouri al-Maliki; ISIS; Iran