U.S. Government Lifts Ban on Travel to Iraq

July 17, 2003

U.S. Government Lifts Ban on Travel to Iraq
The U.S. State Department formally removed a ban barring citizens from traveling to Iraq Tuesday, lifting a 12-year old restriction.

According to USAToday.com, officials still say travel to Iraq is highly dangerous due to the current violent environment with U.S. troops. The move to remove the ban follows several years of easing that originally began after the Gulf War in 1991.

Before Tuesday, it was illegal for all private citizens, with the exception of journalists on assignment and those who had previously lived in the country, to use their passports to visit the country.

For more on this story, visit USAToday.com.