This examination of the United States–led war in Iraq presents the war as a geopolitical watershed moment in which the U.S.`s unilateralism presents stark challenges to international law, multilateralism, and the United Nations. A historical overview of Iraq`s colonial history and Saddam Hussein`s brutal rise to power accompanies a discussion of the worldwide military expansion following the election of George W. Bush as U.S. president. This comprehensive analysis provides an introduction to political science concepts and presents a hopeful perspective on the global situation that calls for concerted activism to challenge a U.S.–dominated new world order.