The Iraq War is finally over. It did some good.

What happened: The last U.S. troops departed Iraq last week, ending a U.S. military presence that began with the 2003 invasion. A residual force of around 2,500 had been fighting Islamic State for the past dozen years. Key numbers: About 4,500 Americans died since 2003, around 3,500 in combat, over 30,000 wounded. U.S. cost estimated around $1.7 trillion. Why it matters: Most historians and military analysts consider the conflict a disaster, calling it a "war of choice" and placing it alongside Vietnam and Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were killed and wounded.

The last U.S. troops departed Iraq last week, ending a U.S. military presence that began with the 2003 invasion. A residual force of around 2,500 had been fighting Islamic State for the past dozen years.

Most historians and military analysts consider the conflict a disaster, calling it a "war of choice" and placing it alongside Vietnam and Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were killed and wounded.