saddam hussein was the president of iraq until 2007
following months of crossborder raids between the two countries saddam declared war on iran in september 1980 initiating the iraniraq war or first persian gulf war
during 2006 fighting continued and reached its highest levels of violence more war crimes scandals were made public abu musab alzarqawi the leader of alqaeda in iraq was killed by us forces and iraqs former dictator saddam hussein was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity and hanged