Looking back at the war on Iraq
By: Stephanie Claytor
Updated: March 19, 2013
It's the tenth anniversary of the United States invasion of Iraq.
The mission, while never totally clear, involved removing Saddam Hussein, and bringing democracy to Iraq. Hussein's removal turned into a civil war amongst warring factions that carried on until 2008; the majority of American troops pulled out of Iraq by the end of December, 2011.
The war cost the United States government more than $2.2 trillion. More than 100,000 Iraqis died, and 4,500 Americans were killed. Another 800 Americans lost limbs.
Lt. Col. Mark Allen, who deployed to Kuwait during the beginning of the Iraq war, said our country needs to do more to support troops when they return home.
"Suicide rates among veterans are an epidemic right now," said Allen."Post traumatic stress disorder is something that we deal with throughout the military, not just in the Army but all branches of service and just the behavioral aspects of being over there and stressed...we need to do everything we can to take care of those vets."
Allen said it was hard on his wife, raising their son alone, when he was deployed. He's thankful the Shreveport Fire Department allowed him to keep his job when he returned.
According to the Center for a New American Security, from 2005 to 2010, service members committed suicide at a rate of one every 36 hours.
