This episode examines the post-invasion years of the Iraq War, when the collapse of Saddam’s regime gave way to insurgency, sectarian violence, and political instability.

The insurgency used guerrilla tactics, while groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq stoked sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shia communities. The U.S. faced growing casualties and scandals like Abu Ghraib, which eroded trust. By 2006, Iraq was consumed by civil war-level violence.

The episode highlights how the invasion’s aftermath created instability that reshaped Iraq and laid the groundwork for the rise of ISIS.