13. Iraq (2003-2010)
The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq led to the swift collapse of Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime, resulting in the disbanding of the Iraqi military and the de-Ba’athification of the government. This created a power vacuum that fueled a violent insurgency and sectarian violence, leading to widespread instability (cato.org). The dismantling of state institutions and the lack of effective governance have drawn parallels to other foreign-intervened failed states, where similar outcomes have occurred.
