The Modern United States ~ Lesson 12 War on Terror in Iraq
In March 2003, the Iraq War began. Dictator Saddam Hussein was thought to possess illegal weapons of mass destruction. President Bush gave Saddam 48 hours to resign and get out of Iraq. When Saddam didn't comply, the United States and Britain attacked Iraq. The invasion began with air raids followed by a ground invasion. After Baghdad, Iraq's capital, fell in April 2003 President Saddam Hussein's government dissolved.
Once Hussein's government broke up, the primary cause of violence was between the Shiites and Sunnis. Many felt the situation in Iraq was a civil war at this point and wanted to leave the fighting to the Iraqis.
Saddam Hussein was captured by United States forces in December 2003. He was executed by Iraqis in 2006 for crimes against humanity.
In September 2010, the U.S. officially ended combat operations. The U.S. completed its withdrawal of military personnel in December 2011. A total of 4,486 US soldiers were killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2012.