Iraq War

2003

Cause: Dictator Saddam Hussein’s alleged possession of illegal weapons of mass destruction and Iraq’s suspected ties to terrorism prompted the U.S. and Britain to invade and topple his government.

Outcome: Iraq was defeated and Saddam Hussein removed from power. American and some coalition troops remain in Iraq, fighting and rebuilding. Shiites and Sunnis have started fighting each other, and many observers consider the situation in Iraq to be a civil war.

• In December 2003, U.S. troops captured Saddam Hussein near his hometown of Tikrit. He was found guilty of crimes against humanity and executed in 2006.

See also Iraq War Primer and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

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