https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugees_of_Iraq#Iraq_War_.282003.E2.80.9311.29
"Refugees from
Iraq have increased in number since the US-led invasion into Iraq in March 2003. After Saddam Hussein fell in 2003, over 30,000 refugees returned home within two years. But by 2006, they were fleeing again due to sectarian violence that culminated with the
al-Askari mosque bombing in February 2006.
[1][2][4]
"The US occupation and ethnic conflict among Iraqis ended the minority Sunni governance and allowed the Shi’ite majority to regain control, which worried Iraq’s Sunni majority neighbors, including Saudi Arabia. Terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda have taken advantage of the chaos and violence to establish a presence in Iraq.
[5]
"By 16 February 2007,
António Guterres, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said that the external refugee number fleeing the war reached 2 million and that within Iraq there are an estimated 1.7 million
internally displaced people.
[10][11]
"The refugee traffic out of the country has increased since the intensification of
civil war.
[10][12]
"As many as 110,000 Iraqis could be targeted as
collaborators because of their work for coalition forces.
[13] A May 25, 2007 article notes that in the past seven months only 69 people from Iraq have been granted refugee status in the
United States.
[14] Roughly 40% of Iraq's middle class is believed to have fled.
[2][15][16] Most are fleeing systematic persecution and have no desire to return.
[15]"