Articles Index
Iraq War Info Center at About.com Liberal Politics
This Information Center chronicles the Iraq War, and the U.S. occupation of Iraq, via the most-read and most searched-for articles, columns and posts on statistics, vital information, news and views.
Iraq War Facts, Results & Statistics at June 24, 2009
Quick-reading key statistics about the Iraq War, summarized from data by various think tanks, including The Brookings Institution's Iraq Index, and from mainstream media sources. Data is presented as of June 24, 2009, except as indicated.
Obama Campaign Promises: Ending the Iraq War
An overview of '08 presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan for ending the Iraq War, including bringing U.S. troops home, an aggressive diplomatic effort in the region, and the moral imperative for a humanitarian initiative for Iraqis.
President Obama Sets Iraq withdrawal Timetable
Full text of President Obama's landmark speech setting a timetable for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, as well as announcing restoration of benefits for military personnel and their families.
McCain and Bush Reject Education Benefits Bill for U.S. Soldiers
The new GI Bill, introduced by Sen. Jim Webb, was co-sponsored by 57 U.S. senators, including all Senate Democrats, both Independents and 10 Senate Republicans. But President Bush and Sen. John McCain opposed the bill as providing overly generous benefits to U.S. soldiers.
The 18 Benchmarks to Gauge "Success in Iraq"
A listing of the 18 benchmarks for "success in Iraq." The benchmarks were drafted by Iraqi leaders, and inserted into U.S. Congressional bill H.R. 2206, a supplemental Iraq War funding legislation which was passed by Congress in late May 2007.
Army Uses Aggressive Tactics to Recruit Teenagers
Buried in Bush's No Child Left Behind Act was a requirement that all high schools receiving federal funds must provide access to students' names, addresses and phone numbers to military recruiters. It also requires a high school to allow military recruiters the same campus access to students as granted to college recruiters. And in June 2005, the Pentagon began working with an outsourced direct marketing company to develop a database of personal information about every American age 16 to 18.
Liberalism 101: Democratic Party Agenda on National Security
The following is the Democratic Party agenda on national security. ""We will protect Americans at home and lead the world by telling the truth to our troops, our citizens and our allies... "
An American Palace in Iraq and Four Permanent US Bases
Here is info published by the world's leading news media sources about the new US Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone. It is/has the largest embassy in world history; the only building project in Iraq on-time and on-budget; a bomb-proof super-bunker; 21 buildings on 104 acres, the size of 80 football fields; and wired for state-of-the-art communications and surveillance. Congress was told that the cost is $592 million.....
Text of Senate Resolution on Iraq War Policy
The following is the text of the Senate resolution introduced on January 17, 2007 by Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) that "it is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating the United States military force presence in Iraq." The resolution is presented in response and rebuke to the Bush Administration's new plan to send 20,000 addditional U.S. troops to fight the Iraq War.
Democrats Urge No New Troop Surge in Iraq War
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelos sent a letter to President Bush, urging the President to begin phased redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq, as was also strongly recommended by the Iraq Study Group. The President is mulling a surge in U.S. troops, "a strategy that you have already tried and that has already failed" write Reid and Pelosi. The following is the text of the Reid/Pelosi letter.
The Iraq Study Group: The 79 Recommendations
On December 6, 2006, the Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by James A. Baker III, former Secretary of State, and Lee H. Hamilton, a 34-year Congressman and 9/11 Commission member, issued its report, which included 79 specific recommendations. The following is the full text of ISG's 79 recommendations...
Four Courses of Action Condemned by Iraq War Study Group
The Iraq War Study Group (IWSG) issued its 142-page final report, "The Way Forward: A New Approach," on December 6, 2006. In its Report, the IWSG thoughtfully crafted 79 sequential recommendations for U.S. forces in Iraq to "evolve to one of supporting the Iraqi army," and to withdraw U.S. troops not involved with Iraq security by 2008. After in-depth study, the IWSG firmly ruled out 4 courses of U.S. action...
The 41 Grades of the Failing Report Card on 9/11 Commission Recommends
On December 5, 2005, the 9/11 Commission, composed of four Republicans and four Democrats, issued its final report, accompanied by a summarized report card, on the status federal government implementation of its 41 basic recommendations to deter another catastrophic attack on the US homeland. This article presents that "Final Report Card on 9/11 Commission Recommendations" issued by the 9/11 Commisssion.
Full Text of Rep. John Murtha's Plan to Exit Iraq Now
This presents the complete text of "War in Iraq," released on Nov 17, 2005 by Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA), a moderate Democrat and long-time war hawk who has dedicated his life to serving his country. Rep. Murtha had a long and distinguished 37-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring from the Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel in 1990; and he has been serving in Congress since 1974, one of only 131 people in US history to have served more than 30 years in the House of Representatives.
Iraq & National Security Made Simple - Statistics & Numbers
This statistical data on National Security (Iraq, the US military, North Korea, DArfur, oil politics, aid) was taken from multiple sources, including the Department of Defense reports, Congressional hearings, United Nations reports, Brookings Institute, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and more than a dozen of the top national newspapers. This information was compiled by the Democratic Policy Committee, the research arm of the Senate Democratic Leadership, and released on September 6, 2005.
Bush Requests $82 Billion More for Iraq & Afghan Wars
Secretary of State Rice recently presented a Bush spending request for $82 billion for a third year of US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Included in the plan is $658 million for a fortress-like embassy and fourteen "enduring bases" for longterm encampment of US soldiers. Despite the lavish request, the Bush plan requests nothing for veterans of the Iraq and Afghan conflicts.