<P> Somehow along the way, somebody had gotten the idea to put a bunch of Iraqi kids onto the wrecker that was to pull the statue down . While the wrecker was pulling the statue down, there were Iraqi children crawling all over it . Finally they brought the statue down . </P> <P> The fall of Baghdad saw the outbreak of regional, sectarian violence throughout the country, as Iraqi tribes and cities began to fight each other over old grudges . The Iraqi cities of Al - Kut and Nasiriyah launched attacks on each other immediately following the fall of Baghdad to establish dominance in the new country, and the U.S. - led Coalition quickly found themselves embroiled in a potential civil war . U.S. - led Coalition forces ordered the cities to cease hostilities immediately, explaining that Baghdad would remain the capital of the new Iraqi government . Nasiriyah responded favorably and quickly backed down; however, Al - Kut placed snipers on the main roadways into town, with orders that invading forces were not to enter the city . After several minor skirmishes, the snipers were removed, but tensions and violence between regional, city, tribal, and familial groups continued . </P> <P> U.S. General Tommy Franks assumed control of Iraq as the supreme commander of the coalition occupation forces . Shortly after the sudden collapse of the defense of Baghdad, rumors were circulating in Iraq and elsewhere that there had been a deal struck (a "safqua") wherein the U.S. - led Coalition had bribed key members of the Iraqi military elite and / or the Ba'ath party itself to stand down . In May 2003, General Franks retired, and confirmed in an interview with Defense Week that the U.S. - led Coalition had paid Iraqi military leaders to defect . The extent of the defections and their effect on the war are unclear . </P> <P> U.S. - led Coalition troops promptly began searching for the key members of Saddam Hussein's government . These individuals were identified by a variety of means, most famously through sets of most - wanted Iraqi playing cards . Later during the military occupation period after the invasion, on 22 July 2003 during a raid by the U.S. 101st Airborne Division and men from Task Force 20, Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay, and one of his grandsons were killed in a massive fire - fight . Saddam Hussein himself was captured on 13 December 2003 by the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division and members of Task Force 121 during Operation Red Dawn . </P>

Who led the invasion of iraq in 2003