U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began on March 19 , 2003 . Six years later , fledgling democracy taking hold , security situation improving . Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was deposed , captured , tried and hanged for a brutal and deadly crackdown against his opponents during his regime . But U.S. lost more than 4,000 troops ; at least 128,000 Iraqis have died . The war is still ongoing and the country's economy has been devastated by sanctions imposed after Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003.
U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began on March 19 , 2003 . Six years later , fledgling democracy taking hold , security situation improving . But U.S. lost more than 4,000 troops ; at least 128,000 Iraqis have died . The war is still ongoing and the country's economy has been devastated by sanctions imposed after Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003.