Help This Ohio GI's Mom Stop The War!

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Urging Him to Vote Yes On The Iraq Spending Bill! 

Dear Senator Voinovich:

On Friday, the U.S. House voted to bring the troops home by September 2008.

Now it's the Senate's turn to step up to the plate.

I want to bring our soldiers home and see an end to this war. Please vote in favor of setting a non-binding timeline to bring U.S. combat troops home by March 31, 2008.

Sen. Voinovich, listen to Ohioans and do the right thing: vote in favor of this bill.

Sincerely, 

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Americans in the Opinion Polls, Not in the Streets

Demobilizing America
Outsourcing Action in an Imperial World
By Tom Engelhardt

Excuse me if, at 62, and well into my second era of protest against yet another distant, disastrous, and disabling American war, I express a little confusion. Was it actually like this in Rome while the legions were off fighting on the German frontiers? Was this the way it felt in London while the imperial forces conducted their frontier wars in Afghanistan, or Paris when the Foreign Legion was holding down North Africa? Was this how it felt in Washington when Douglas MacArthur's father was suppressing the Filipinos and General Jacob Smith was turning the island of Samar into a "howling wilderness"? Is this the way it usually feels in the heartlands of great empires until the barbarians actually do come knocking at the gates?

I went marching against the President's Iraqi war of choice in my hometown last Sunday. I found myself in an older crowd, many visibly from the Vietnam era. It was relatively quiet, small-scale, and lacking in energy; all in all -- for me at least -- a modestly dispiriting experience, given the crisis at hand and the disillusioned state of public opinion here in the U.S.

I came home wondering whether some Bush-era version of the old Roman formula had indeed been working. Had bread and circuses become croissants and iPods, or Bud and American Idol, or Sony PlayStation 3 and 24? I couldn't help puzzling over the gap between public opinion on the President's war and public action, or between the conclusions opinion polls tell us so many Americans have reached and those generally reached in Washington as well as in the mainstream media.

I know I'm not alone in wondering about such things, so here's my provisional exploration of some of what's puzzled me most. I don't claim to have the answers, only perhaps some of the questions. Think of this, then, as a guided tour of a few of the trees on our landscape -- with the hope that you'll be able to spot the forest.

Read the Full Article

"Wariness"

Through The Lens: Funerals for Troops Killed in Iraq

March 19, 2007 Moment of Silence in the People's House

Bush Pleads For Patience On War Anniversary

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Striking a subdued tone on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war, President George W. Bush pleaded for patience on Monday and warned skeptical Americans of dire consequences of a swift troop withdrawal.

With polls showing him near the weakest point of his presidency, Bush defended his Iraq policy to a nation increasingly opposed to the war and unsupportive of his drive to send in nearly 30,000 additional troops.

Bush, in a brief televised statement from the White House, appealed to Americans for more time while acknowledging: "Prevailing in Iraq is not going to be easy."

His cautious tone contrasted sharply with the swagger shown when he stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier weeks after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled
Saddam Hussein and declared that major combat operations in Iraq were over.

As the war entered its fifth year, insurgents carried out deadly bombings in Kirkuk and Baghdad, and a new poll showed most Iraqis with little or no confidence in U.S.-led forces.

"Four years after this war began, the fight is difficult but it can be won," Bush said after a teleconference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. "It will be won if we have the courage and resolve to see it through."

While insisting there had been progress, Bush did not repeat his earlier vow to achieve outright victory. His rhetoric has been tempered by relentless violence bordering on civil war which U.S. forces seem unable to control.

But Bush stuck to his refusal to set a timetable for a U.S. withdrawal despite stepped-up pressure from the new Democratic-led Congress.

March 19, 2003 President Bush Addresses the Nation

My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger.

On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war. These are opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign. More than 35 countries are giving crucial support -- from the use of naval and air bases, to help with intelligence and logistics, to the deployment of combat units. Every nation in this coalition has chosen to bear the duty and share the honor of serving in our common defense.

President George W. Bush addresses the nation from the Oval Office at the White House Wednesday evening, March 19, 2003. White House photo by Paul Morse To all the men and women of the United States Armed Forces now in the Middle East, the peace of a troubled world and the hopes of an oppressed people now depend on you. That trust is well placed.

The enemies you confront will come to know your skill and bravery. The people you liberate will witness the honorable and decent spirit of the American military. In this conflict, America faces an enemy who has no regard for conventions of war or rules of morality. Saddam Hussein has placed Iraqi troops and equipment in civilian areas, attempting to use innocent men, women and children as shields for his own military -- a final atrocity against his people.

I want Americans and all the world to know that coalition forces will make every effort to spare innocent civilians from harm. A campaign on the harsh terrain of a nation as large as California could be longer and more difficult than some predict. And helping Iraqis achieve a united, stable and free country will require our sustained commitment.

We come to Iraq with respect for its citizens, for their great civilization and for the religious faiths they practice. We have no ambition in Iraq, except to remove a threat and restore control of that country to its own people.

I know that the families of our military are praying that all those who serve will return safely and soon. Millions of Americans are praying with you for the safety of your loved ones and for the protection of the innocent. For your sacrifice, you have the gratitude and respect of the American people. And you can know that our forces will be coming home as soon as their work is done.

Our nation enters this conflict reluctantly -- yet, our purpose is sure. The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder. We will meet that threat now, with our Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines, so that we do not have to meet it later with armies of fire fighters and police and doctors on the streets of our cities.

Now that conflict has come, the only way to limit its duration is to apply decisive force. And I assure you, this will not be a campaign of half measures, and we will accept no outcome but victory.

My fellow citizens, the dangers to our country and the world will be overcome. We will pass through this time of peril and carry on the work of peace. We will defend our freedom. We will bring freedom to others and we will prevail.

May God bless our country and all who defend her.

How to Win The War on Terror

The Best War Ever

59 Percent of Americans Believe The War Has Been a Mistake

President Bush may still believe the war in Iraq was the right thing to do, and that all in all, it has been worthwhile effort. The public, however, begs to differ.

Take the question Gallup has been asking ever since the war started: “In view of the developments since we first sent our troops to Iraq, do you think the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq, or not?” The chart below shows the year-to-year progression of responses to this question, starting with the response Gallup got right after the initial invasion and ending with their most recent reading in early March of this year.

This year-to-year progression shows that the public started with an overwhelmingly positive judgment of the war—just 23 percent of Americans thought the war was a mistake in 2003. But this trend steadily reversed over time so that now 59 percent of Americans believe the war has been a mistake. It is worth noting that this 59 percent “mistake” figure is now just about as high as the peak response Gallup received to an analogous question during the Vietnam War—61 percent.

The Iraq Veterans Memorial

The Iraq Veterans Memorial is an online memorial to honor the members of the U.S. armed forces who have lost their lives serving in the Iraq War.

The Memorial is a collection of video memories from military colleagues, co-workers, family, and friends of those that have fallen.

Another Ohio soldier dies in Iraq

Army Sgt. Robert Carr, 22, is the latest Ohio resident to die in Iraq.

The sergeant was expected home on leave to celebrate his April 10 wedding anniversary with his wife, Nina.

"I was here by myself, and two soldiers came in full dress uniform. As soon as I saw them in uniform, I knew. It was like my worst nightmare coming true," she said.

Carr graduated from Champion High School in May 2002.

His mom said he wanted to be a career soldier.

Time Magazine Cover March 3-10 2003

Prelude to The Invasion: The Issue of Iraq's Disarmament

In the decade following the Gulf War in 1991, the United Nations passed 16 Security Council resolutions calling for the elimination of Iraqi production and use of weapons of mass destruction. The UN showed obvious frustration over the years that Iraq was not only failing to disarm, but was interfering with the work of weapons inspectors. Resolutions were passed and statements were released - at least once a year - calling for Iraq to disarm and fully cooperate with inspectors. On many occasions, Iraqi soldiers physically prevented weapons inspectors from doing their job and in at least one case, took documents away from the inspectors.

In 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton expressed concerns about Iraq's failure to disarm, noting that he believed the country would give its weapons of mass destruction to other countries. Clinton also stated his belief that Saddam Hussein would eventually use these weapons - it was "only a matter of time." On September 29, 1998, the United States Congress passed the Iraq Liberation Act, which states that the U.S. intends to remove Saddam Hussein from office and replace the government with a democratic institution. The Iraq Liberation Act was signed by President Clinton on October 31, 1998. On the same day, Iraq announced it would no longer cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors.

Clinton's plans to remove Hussein from power were put on hold when the U.N., under Kofi Annan, brokered a deal wherein Iraq would allow weapons inspectors back into the country. Iraq quit cooperating with the inspectors only days later and the inspectors left the country in December. Inspectors would return the following year as part of The United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC).

Paul Wolfowitz, the hawkish conservative military analyst for the Defense Department under Ronald Reagan, had formulated a new foreign policy with regard to Iraq and other "potential aggressor states", dismissing "containment" in favor of "preemption," with the goal of striking first to eliminate threats.

This policy was short-lived, however, and Clinton, along with George H. W. Bush, Colin Powell, and other former Bush administration officials, dismissed calls for preemption in favor of continued containment. This was the policy of George W. Bush as well for his first several months in office. The September 11, 2001 attacks brought to life Wolfowitz's and other hawks' advocacy for preemptive action; Iraq was widely agreed to be a likely subject of this new policy, even though no evidence yet produced connects Iraq with these attacks. Powell continued to support the philosophy behind containment and it was his advice which President Bush balanced with Wolfowitz's calls to action resulting in a moderated approach. This approach began with the US appeals to the UN which led to UN Security Council Resolution 1441.

During most of 2002 and into 2003, the United States government continued to call for "regime change" in Iraq and threatened to use military force to overthrow the Iraqi government unless Iraq rid itself of all weapons of mass destruction and convinced the UN that it had done so.

US diplomatic pressure to bring Iraq to compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1441 quickly created a diplomatic crisis in the UN, where some were in agreement with the US position, while others dissented, notably the permanent security council members France, Russia and the People's Republic of China and fellow NATO members Germany and Belgium.

The US had given the following reasons for its seeking to force Iraq's compliance:

1. That the government of Iraq has failed to produce evidence of the destruction of caches of weapons of mass destruction, i.e. biological, chemical, as well as the existence of secret programs to produce nuclear weapons.
2. That the government of Iraq has supported terrorist operations and groups, and is likely to supply them with weapons of mass destruction at some future point.
3. That the government of Iraq and its leader, Saddam Hussein, are anti-democratic and violate human rights - and have even been implicated in attempts at genocide.

Several close allies of the U.S. (e.g. Germany, Belgium and France), although mainly sharing that estimation of the United States, opposed a military intervention because they claimed that it would increase rather than decrease the risk of terrorist attacks.

Although the UK and governments of other members of the EU and NATO also supported the US position, opinion polls show that in general their populations were against an attack, especially an attack without clear UN Security Council support.

Millions of people in the major cities of Europe, and hundreds of thousands in major cities of North America, participated in peace marches on February 15, 2003.

The March To War: Bush Administration Quotes: November 2002

President George W. Bush:

"Saddam Hussein is a man who told the world he wouldn't have weapons of mass destruction, but he's got them . . . . And not only that, [he would] like nothing more than to hook up with one of these shadowy terrorist networks like Al Qaeda, provide some weapons and training to them, let them come do his dirty work, and we wouldn't be able to see his fingerprints on his action."
Source: Iraq Must Disarm Says President in South Dakota Speech, White House (11/3/2002).

"It's a man who has got connections with Al Qaida. Imagine a terrorist network with Iraq as an arsenal and as a training ground, so that a Saddam Hussein could use this shadowy group of people to attack his enemy and leave no fingerprint behind. He's a threat."
Source: Remarks by the President in Texas Welcome, White House (11/4/2002).

"He's a threat because he is dealing with Al Qaida. In my Cincinnati speech I reminded the American people, a true threat facing our country is that an Al Qaida-type network trained and armed by Saddam could attack America and leave not one fingerprint."
Source: President Outlines Priorities, White House (11/7/2002).

"Today the world is also uniting to answer the unique and urgent threat posed by Iraq. A dictator who has used weapons of mass destruction on his own people must not be allowed to produce or possess those weapons. We will not permit Saddam Hussein to blackmail and/or terrorize nations which love freedom."
Source: President Bush Speaks to Atlantic Youth Council, CNN (11/20/2002).

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld:

"Now, transport yourself forward a year, two years, or a week, or a month, and if Saddam Hussein were to take his weapons of mass destruction and transfer them, either use himself, or transfer them to the Al-Qaeda, and somehow the Al-Qaeda were to engage in an attack on the United States, or an attack on U.S. forces overseas, with a weapon of mass destruction you're not talking about 300, or 3,000 people potentially being killed, but 30,000, or 100,000 . . . human beings."
Source: Secretary Rumsfeld Live Interview with Infinity CBS Radio, Infinity-CBS Radio (11/14/2002).

"Well, we know that Saddam Hussein has chemical and biological weapons."
Source: Secretary Rumsfeld Live Interview with Infinity CBS Radio, Infinity-CBS Radio (11/14/2002).

"[T]here is no question but that there have been interactions between the Iraqi government, Iraqi officials, and al-Qaeda operatives. They have occurred over a span of some eight or ten years to our knowledge. There are currently al-Qaeda in Iraq."
Source: Secretary Rumsfeld Live Interview with Infinity CBS Radio, Infinity-CBS Radio (11/14/2002).

The Cost of the Iraq War to Your Congressional District

The following table lists the cost of the Iraq War, including a portion of the $100 billion current proposal, for each congressional district in the state of Ohio.

Alongside the cost is what the people of Ohio could have if the money was spent locally instead.

Ohio Taxpayer Costs Of Iraq War

Congress will soon vote on at least $100 billion more in war spending. About $78 billion of that amount will be for the Iraq War, bringing total spending through the current fiscal year to nearly half a trillion dollars.

In the lead up to the war, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget stated that it would cost between $50-$60 billion. The White House discounted its own economic advisor when he suggested that the war could cost between $100-$200 billion.

Even the half a trillion dollar price tag does not begin to cover future costs. The administration seeks $142 billion in more war funding for the next fiscal year. Since the war is deficit-financed, interest payments alone could rise to at least one hundred billion dollars.

Spending on veterans’ health care and disability payments for the many severely wounded soldiers could also mount to hundreds of billions of dollars

The March To War: Bush Administration Quotes: October 2002

President George W. Bush:

"We know the designs of the Iraqi regime. In defiance of pledges to the U.N., it has stockpiled biological and chemical weapons."
Source: President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution, White House (10/2/2002).

"On its present course, the Iraqi regime is a threat of unique urgency. . . . it has developed weapons of mass death."
Source: President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution, White House (10/2/2002).

"In defiance of the United Nations, Iraq has stockpiled biological and chemical weapons, and is rebuilding the facilities used to make more of those weapons."
Source: President: Iraqi Regime Danger to America is "Grave and Growing", White House (10/5/2002).

"Knowing these realities, America must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof - the smoking gun - that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud."
Source: President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat; Remarks by the President on Iraq, White House (10/7/2002).

"If the Iraq regime is able to produce, buy, or steal an amount of highly enriched uranium a little larger than a single softball, it could have a nuclear weapon in less than one year."
Source: President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat; Remarks by the President on Iraq, White House (10/7/2002).

"And I also mentioned the fact that there is a connection between al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein."
Source: President Condems Attack in Bali, White House (10/14/2002).

Secretary of State Colin Powell:

"They have chemical weapons; they have biological weapons; they're trying to acquire nuclear weapons."
Source: Interview on the Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC (10/22/2002).

Iraq By the Numbers

Iraq By the Numbers:
$408 billion: Cost to the Nation
$16 billion: Cost to Ohio
$4,100: Cost Per Household
$11 million: Cost Per Hour
$275 million: Daily Cost

Cost to Ohio Cities and Counties
Akron: $237,800,000
Athens: $12,600,000
Cincinnati: $427,900,000
Cleveland: $426,800,000
Columbus: $927,700,000
Dayton: $156,800,000
Greene County: $247,600,000
Knox County: $72,900,000
Mansfield: $51,200,000
Montgomery County: $772,400,000
Painesville: $21,000,000
Toledo: $351,200,000
Wayne County: $159,400,000
Wooster: $31,900,000
Youngstown: $68,300,000

For More Information, or the methodology, please visit nationalpriorities.org

Empty Boots Eyes Wide Open: Columbus Ohio

When Eyes Wide Open came to the Ohio Statehouse in June there were 2492 U.S. Deaths Confirmed by the DoD.

Today:
U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 3195

In Memoriam: Remembering the Ohio Casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan

Marine Sgt. Maj. Joseph J. Ellis, 40, of Ashland, died while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to the Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Army Pfc. David C. Armstrong, 21, of Zanesville, died in Baghdad in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 57th Military Police Company, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Pacific, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Army Pfc. Kenneth T. "Tyler" Butler, 21, of East Liverpool, died in Baghdad in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 57th Military Police Company, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Pacific, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Navy Hospitalman Matthew G. Conte, 22, of Mogadore, was killed in combat in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He was serving as a hospital corpsman in Iraq under the command of I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Wiggins, 26, of Cleveland, died Tuesday in Balad of a non-combat related injury. He was assigned to the 79th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Army Spc. Nicholas P. Brown, 24, of Huber Heights, was killed in Iraq when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Marine Sgt. Michael M. Kashkoush, 24, of Chagrin Falls, was killed in Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force at Okinawa, Japan.

Army Sgt. Jonathan Kingman, of Shelby, was killed as the result of an explosion. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion of Combat Engineers, based in Fort Riley, Kansas.

Army Spc. Vincent Pomante III, 22, of Westerville, was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division in Giessen, Germany.

Pvt. Heath D. Warner, 19, of Canton, died in combat in Al Anbar province in Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Lance Cpl. Jeremy S. Shock, 22, of Tiffin, Ohio, died from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Perrysburg, Ohio.

Army 1st Sgt. Ricky L. McGinnis, 42, of Hamilton, died in Balad of injuries sustained when an explosive detonated near his dismounted patrol in Muqdadiyah. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Spc. Jason A. Lucas, 24, of Columbus, died in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when his vehicle was struck by another vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division in Fort Polk, La.

Marine Sgt. Justin Walsh, 24, of Cuyahoga Falls, died from injuries suffered in a roadside bombing in Iraq.

Army Cpl. Robert Weber, 22, of Cincinnati, died near the Qayyarah West Airfield in Iraq when his vehicle rolled over. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Army Sgt. James R. Worster, 24, of Broadview Heights, died from non-combat injuries in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 10th Combat Support Hospital, 43rd Area Support Group, Fort Carson, Colo.

Army Sgt. Adam L. Knox, 21, of Hilliard, was killed when his patrol fought with enemy forces.

Army Capt. Matthew Mattingly, 30, of Reyoldsburg, was killed in Iraq when gunfire hit his helicopter. He was the commander of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Sgt. David W. Gordon, 23, of Williamsfield, was killed in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan Miller, 21, of Columbus, was killed when his vehicle struck an explosive device in Iraq.

Spc. Joshua D. Jones, 24, of Pomeroy, was killed in combat in Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division in Fort Hood, Texas.

Marine Staff Sgt. Gordon G. Solomon, 35, of Fairborn, was killed while conducting combat operations in Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Air Force Master Sgt. Brad A. Clemmons, 37, of Chillicothe, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. He was assigned to the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron based at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.

Pfc. James P. White Jr., 19, of Huber Heights, was killed in Afghanistan when his platoon was hit with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. He was a member of the First Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, Third Brigade Combat Team, of the 10th Mountain Division based at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Marine Cpl. Joe Tomci, 21, of Stow, was killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb. He was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Regiment, Lima Company.

Marine Cpl. Timothy Roos, of Delphi Township in suburban Cincinnati, was killed while conducting combat operations in Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Army Sgt. Benjamin Laymon, 22, of Mount Vernon, was killed in Iraq when his patrol was hit by small-arms fire and a roadside bomb. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Calvary Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

Army National Guard Sgt. Daniel Crabtree, 31, of Cuyahoga Falls, was killed in Iraq when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle. Crabtree was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group.

Marine Sgt. Mark Smykowski, 23, of Mentor, was killed in Iraq when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle.

Marine Maj. Michael D. Stover, 43, of Mansfield, was killed in Iraq in a non-combat incident.

Marine Sgt. David Christoff Jr., 25, of Rossford, was killed in Iraq while on patrol with his unit.

Army Master Sgt. Robert H. West, 37, of Elyria, was killed in Iraq when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle. West was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 312th Regiment.

Army Sgt. Gregory Rogers, 42, of Cincinnati, was killed in Iraq when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee. Rogers was assigned to Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 4th Brigade Combat team.

Lance Cpl. Bryan N. Taylor, 20, of Milford, died after being shot by an Iraqi Army soldier on a coalition base near Al Qaim, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Pfc Jacob Spann, 21, of Westerville, died in Iraq when a roadside bomb detonated under his vehicle.

Master Sgt. Joseph J. Andres Jr., 34, of Seven Hills, died in Iraq when he was attacked by enemy forces during combat operations. Andres was assigned to Army Special Operations Command based in Fort Bragg, N.C.

Staff Sgt. Curtis Mitchell, 28, of McConnellsville, died in a bombing in Baghdad. Mitchell was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Ga.

Army Spc. Allen J. Knop, 22, Willowick, Ohio; died in Baghdad from non-combat related injuries; assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

Marine Sgt. Jeremy Murray, 28, of Atwater Township in Portage County, was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee in Hadithah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Pendleton in San Diego, Calif.

Marine Lance Cpl. David A. Mendez Ruiz, 20, of Cleveland was killed by a homemade bomb on the western edge of Baghdad. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force out of Twentynine Palms, Calif..

Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel J. Pratt, 48, of Youngstown, died in An Nasiriyah, Iraq, of a cause not related to combat. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 211th Maintenance Company, based in Newark.

Army Pvt. Adam "A.J." Johnson, 22, of Clayton, died after his Humvee went over an improvised bomb in Iraq. He was a member of the 101st Airborne Division assigned to Fort Campbell, Ky.

Marine Lance Cpl. Robert F. Eckfield Jr., 23, of Cleveland, died from an indirect fire explosion in Saqlawiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Capt. Tyler B. Swisher, 35, of Cincinnati, died along with another Marine when a bomb exploded near their vehicle in Amariyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Spc. Richard Hardy, 24, of Bolivar, died in Ramadi, Iraq, with four other soldiers when a rocket-propelled grenade got inside their tank and exploded. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Benning, Ga.

Staff Sgt. Richard T. Pummill, 27, of Cincinnati, was killed when a bomb exploded during combat operations near Nasser Wa Salaam, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Spc. Jeremy Hodge, 20, of Ridgeway, was killed in Iraq when a bomb struck his convoy. He was with the Ohio Army National Guard's 612th Engineers Battalion, based in Tiffin.

Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel McVicker, 20, of Alliance, was killed in Iraq while driving an armored vehicle that was hit by a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Sgt. Bryan W. Large, 31, of Cuyahoga Falls, was killed in Iraq when a bomb exploded near his Humvee. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Staff Sgt. Jason Benford, 30, a Toledo native, was killed in Iraq when a sniper shot him while he was on patrol. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, based in Fort Benning, Ga.

Army Spec. David Ford, 20, of Ironton, died in Baghdad when a bomb exploded near the tank he was riding in. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division based in Fort Stewart, Ga.

Marine Lance Cpl. Eric J. Bernholtz, 23, of Grove City, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Sgt. Justin F. Hoffman, 27, of Delaware, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Cpl. David Kenneth J. Kreuter, 26, of Cincinnati, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Lance Cpl. Michael J. Cifuentes, 25, of Oxford, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron H. Reed, 21, of Chillicothe, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Lance Cpl. William B. Wightman, 22, of Sabina, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher Dyer, 19, of Evendale, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Sgt. Bradley J. Harper, 25, of Dresden, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion, 4th Marine Division based in Norfolk, Va.

Marine Lance Cpl. Edward Schroeder, 23, of Cleveland, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Lance Cpl. Timothy Michael Bell Jr., 22, of West Chester, died in a roadside bombing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Lima Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Columbus.

Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Nathan Deyarmin, 22, of Tallmadge, died in action with his sniper unit in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Headquarters and Service Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Brook Park.

Marine Lance Cpl. Brian Montgomery, 26, of Willoughby, died in action with his sniper unit in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Headquarters and Service Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Brook Park.

Marine Cpl. Jeff Boskovitch, 25, of North Royalton, died in action with his sniper unit in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Headquarters and Service Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Brook Park.

Marine Sgt. Nathaniel Rock, 26, of Toronto, died in action with his sniper unit in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Headquarters and Service Company 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Brook Park.

Army Pfc. Robert Swaney, 21, of Columbus, died when his Humvee was struck by a roadside bomb southeast of Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Armored Calvary Regiment, Thunder Squadron based at Fort Carson, Colo.

Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher P. Lyons, 24, of Mansfield, died when his company came under attack by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment.

Marine Cpl. Andre L. Williams, 23, of Galloway, died when his company came under attack by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in western Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment.

Army Pfc. Tim Hines, 21, of Fairfield, died in a Washington hospital of injuries from a bomb detonated while he was in a convoy traveling in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 720th Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, 64th Military Police Unit.

Army Spc. Anthony D. Kinslow, 21, of Westerville, died when his military vehicle came under a grenade attack in Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

Army Sgt. Larry R. Kuhns Jr., 24, of Austintown, died when his military vehicle came under a grenade attack in Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas O. Keeling, 23, of Strongsville, died in an explosion in Haqlaniyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division.

Marine Lance Cpl. Devon P. Seymour, 21, of St. Louisville, died in an explosion in Haqlaniyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division.

Marine Cpl. Brad D. Squires, 26, Middleburg Heights, died in an explosion in Haqlaniyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division.

Army 1st Lt. Aaron Seesan, 24, of Massillon, died when a bomb struck his vehicle in Iraq. He was assigned to the 73rd Engineering Company based at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Army Sgt. Kurt Schamberg, 26, of Orwell, died from a roadside blast near Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. He was assigned to 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Marine Lance Cpl. Nick Erdy, 21, of Owensville, died from an explosion near his vehicle transport in Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division based in Columbus.

Marine Pfc. Christopher Dixon, 18, of Obetz, died from an explosion near his vehicle transport in Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division based in Columbus.

Marine Lance Cpl. Wesley G. Davids, 20, of Dublin, died from an explosion while conducting combat operations in Karabilah, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division based in Columbus.

Marine Staff Sgt. Kendall Ivy II, 29, of Galion, died after suffering a severe leg wound when the vehicle he was riding in struck a roadside bomb in Iraq.

Marine Lance Cpl. Taylor Prazynski, 20, of Fairfield, died after suffering shrapnel wounds in an explosion during combat in Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Pfc. Nick Messmer, 20, of Gahanna, and another soldier died in Iraq when a bomb blew up near their Humvee in Khalidiyah. He was assigned to the Army's 506th Infantry Regiment.

Marine Cpl. Dustin Derga, 24, of Columbus, died when he was caught in enemy small arms fire during combat near Ubaydi, Iraq. Derga was assigned to the Marine Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment, 4th Division in Columbus.

Army Sgt. Andy Eckert, 24, of Whitehouse, was killed when an explosive device went off near his convoy in Iraq. He was assigned to the 983rd Engineer Battalion, a reserve unit based in Monclova.

Army Spc. Kevin William Prince, 22, of Mount Gilead, was killed by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Al Haswah, Iraq.

Army Pfc. Gavin Colburn, 20, of Frankfort, was killed when an improvised device detonated near his convoy vehicle. He was assigned to the Army Reserve's 542nd Transportation Company from Kingsbury, Ind.

Army Spc. Daniel J. Freeman, 20, of Cincinnati, was one of 15 military members who died in a helicopter crash near Ghazni in Afghanistan, 80 miles south of the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Marine Lance Cpl. Kevin S. Smith, 20, of Springfield, was killed in hostile action in Al Anbar Province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew W. Nowacki, 24, of South Euclid, was killed by a roadside bomb while serving as a gunner on a Humvee that was protecting a truck convoy south of Baghdad. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, based in Erie, Pa.

Army Sgt. Zachary Wobler, 24, of Ottawa, died when he was shot by insurgents during a firefight in Mosul. He was assigned to the Army's 82nd Airborne Division.

Army Pfc. James H. Miller IV, 22, of suburban Cincinnati, died in an explosion while he was guarding a polling place in Ramadi for Iraq's elections.

Marine Cpl. Richard Gilbert Jr., 28, of Dayton, died when his helicopter crashed in a desert sandstorm.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jonathan Edward Etterling, 22, of Wheelersburg, died when his helicopter crashed in a desert sandstorm.

Marine Sgt. Michael Finke Jr., 28, of Wadsworth, died when his helicopter crashed in a desert sandstorm.

Marine Cpl. Timothy A. Knight, 22, of Brooklyn (Ohio) was killed when his helicopter crashed in a desert sandstorm.

Army Pfc. Josh Ramsey, 19, of Defiance, died of non-combat injuries. He was assigned to the 95th Military Police Battalion based at Mannheim, Germany.

Army Pfc. Harrison J. Meyer, 20, of Worthington, died when his unit was hit with small arms fire in Ramadi. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team at Camp Howze, Korea.

Army Sgt. Michael C. O'Neill, 22, of Mansfield, died of injuries received while preparing at Bagram Air Field for combat operations in Afghanistan. He was assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, based at Fort Benning, Ga.

Marine Cpl. Nathan R. Anderson, 22, of Howard, died during fighting in the Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Sgt. Charles Joseph Webb, 22, of Hamilton, died when he was struck in the face by shrapnel from a bomb. He was assigned to the 82nd Engineering Battalion.

Army Staff Sgt. Omer T. Hawkins II, 31, of Cherry Fork, was killed when an improvised bomb exploded near his convoy in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 44th Engineer Battalion based at Camp Howze, Korea.

Army Capt. Dennis Pintor, 30, who went to high school in Elida, was killed when an explosive device detonated near his patrol vehicle. Pinton was a member of the 20th Engineer Battalion from Fort Hood, Texas

National Guard Sgt. Michael Barkey, 22, of Canal Fulton, was killed in a vehicle crash caused by hostile action. Barkey was a member of the 1484th Transportation Company based in Akron.

Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Richard L. Morgan, 38, of Maynard, was killed when he drove a Humvee over a land mine. He was a member of the 660th Transportation Company based in Cadiz.

Army Reserve Spc. Allen Nolan, 38, of Marietta, died after suffering severe burns in a missile attack. He was a member of the 660th Transportation Company based in Zanesville.

Army Staff Sgt. Elvis Bourdon, 36, of Youngstown, died during a patrol when his military vehicle came under attack by enemy forces using small-arms fire and grenades. He was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Pfc. Jason L. Sparks, 19, of Monroeville, died when his platoon was engaged in direct fire. He was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Camp Casey, Korea.

Army Reserve Pfc. Devin J. Grella, 21, of Medina, was killed when his convoy was struck by a homemade explosive device. He was a member of the 706th Transportation Company in Mansfield.

Army Pfc. Ryan Martin, 22, of Mount Vernon, died when a homemade bomb went off near the Humvee he was riding in. He was assigned to the 216th Engineering Battalion of the Ohio National Guard.

Army Lt. Charles L. Wilkins III, 38, of Columbus, died when a homemade bomb went off near the Humvee he was riding in. He was assigned to the 216th Engineering Battalion of the Ohio National Guard.

Marine Lance Cpl. Dustin Fitzgerald, 22, of Huber Heights, died in a noncombat-related vehicle incident. He was assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Sgt. Daniel Michael Shepherd, 23, of Elyria, was killed when his M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle hit a homemade bomb. He was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment.

Marine Cpl. Todd J. Godwin, 21, of Zanesville, was killed when a bomb exploded near him during combat. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division.

Army Spc. Joseph M. Garmback Jr., 24, of Cleveland, was killed along with four members of his unit during a mortar attack on Iraqi National Guard headquarters in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

Army Pfc. Samuel Bowen, 38, of Cleveland, with the 216th Engineer Battalion from Brook Park, was killed in Samarra, Iraq, when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near his vehicle.

Army Sgt. Charles Kiser, 37, who grew up in Amelia, was killed outside Mosul by a car bomb. Kiser was with the 330th Military Police Division, a reserve unit based in Sheboygan, Wis.

Army Pfc. Nicholaus E. Zimmer, 20, of Columbus, died in Kufa when his vehicle was hit by rocket propelled grenades. He had been assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Friedburg Germany.

Army Spc. Charles E. Odums II, 22, of Sandusky, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. He was killed in Baghdad when a bomb exploded near the patrol.

Army Pfc. Jesse Buryj, 21, of Canton, died of injuries he suffered while trying to stop an attack on a checkpoint.

Marine Lance Cpl. Michael J. Smith Jr., 21, of Wintersville, died of injuries suffered from enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. The government did not release more details on how he died.

Army Spc. Allen "A.J." Vandayburg, 20, of Mansfield, was killed when his 1st Infantry Division convoy was attacked by insurgents.

Marine Cpl. Andrew D. Brownfield, 24, of Akron. Brownfield, assigned to the Marine Wing Support Sqaudron 374, Twentynine Palms, Calif., died of injuries suffered in a mortar attack on Al Asad Air Base.

Army Staff Sgt. Richard P. Ramey, 27, of Canton. Ramey, assigned to the 703rd Ordnance Company, Fort Knox, Ky., was killed when insurgents attacked Army convoys with explosives in Mahmudiyah.

Army Staff Sgt. Roger C. Turner Jr., 37, who grew up in Pomeroy in Meigs County. A vehicle mechanic assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Turner died of injuries suffered in a mortar attack on his base near Balad.

Army Staff Sgt. Sean Landrus, 31, of Thompson Township in Geauga County. Assigned to the 1st Engineer Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division, Landrus was killed when a roadside bomb exploded as he was driving a truck near Khalidiyah.

Army Staff Sgt. Lester O. Kinney II, 27, of Zanesville. A paratrooper with the 2nd Battalion of the 505th Infantry, Kinney was killed when a roadside bomb exploded west of Baghdad.

Army Spc. Todd M. Bates, 20, of Bellaire. He was on a river patrol on the Tigris River south of Baghdad when his squad leader fell overboard. Bates dived into the water and did not surface. Bates' body later was recovered and his status changed to deceased. He was assigned to the 135th Military Police Company, Army National Guard in Brook Park.

Army Pfc. Kenneth C. Souslin, 21, of Mansfield. He died of non-combat related injuries at Baghdad International Airport. He was assigned to the 440th Signal Company, 22nd Signal Brigade, V Corps, Darmstadt, Germany.

Army National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Aaron Reese, 31, of Reynoldsburg. He died after falling from a patrol boat into the Tigris River. He was the first Ohio Guardsman to die in Iraq.

Army Sgt. Steven D. Conover, 21, of Wilmington. He was among 16 Americans killed in a missile attack on a helicopter near Fallujah, Iraq, as it carried troops bound for two weeks' leave.

Army Spc. James E. Powell II, 26, of Columbus. He was killed when his Bradley armored vehicle struck a land mine near Beiji, 30 miles north of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown.

James C. Wright, 27, of Delhi Township in suburban Cincinnati, with the Fourth Infantry. He was killed in an ambush near Tikrit when his vehicle was hit with rocket-propelled grenades.

Army Spc. Brett T. Christian of North Royalton, with the 101st Airborne Division. He was killed in Mosul when his convoy came under attack by rocket propelled grenades.

Army Pfc. Kevin C. Ott, 27, of Orient, with the 18th Field Artillery Regiment. The bodies of Ott and another soldier were found 20 miles northwest of Baghdad three days after they failed to respond to a radio check.

Army Pfc. Gavin L. Neighbor, 20, of Somerset, with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was off work from guard duty in Baghdad and had been resting on a bus when a rocket propelled grenade round was fired from a nearby house.

Army Pfc. Branden F. Oberleitner, 20, of Worthington, with the 101st Airborne Division. He was killed in Fallujah, Iraq, after his unit was fired upon by a rifle-propelled grenade.

Army Lt. Col. Dominic R. Baragona, 42, of Niles, with 19th Maintenance Battalion. He was killed in a multi-vehicle traffic accident near Safwan, Iraq.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Brian K. Van Dusen, of Columbus, with the 571st Air Medical Company. During the rescue of a wounded Iraqi child, his Black Hawk medical helicopter snagged a power wire during takeoff and flipped over into the Tigris River. The child was in another helicopter.

Army Pfc. Marlin Rockhold, 23, of Hamilton, with the 3rd Infantry Division. He was shot by a sniper while directing traffic at a bridge in Baghdad.

Marine Pfc. Christian Daniel Gurtner, 19, of Ohio City, with the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. He was killed when his gun accidentally went off.

Army Pvt. Brandon Sloan, 19, of Bedford Heights, with the 507th Maintenance Company. He was killed after Iraqi forces ambushed a supply convoy near Nasiriyah. Originally listed as missing until eight bodies were found in the rescue of an American POW.

Army Master Sgt. Robert J. Dowdy, 38, of Cleveland, with the 507th Maintenance Company. He was killed in the same ambush as Sloan.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Defense

The March To War: Bush Administration Quotes: September 2002

President George W. Bush:

"Should Iraq acquire fissile material, it would be able to build a nuclear weapon within a year."
Source: Address to the United Nations General Assembly, White House (9/12/2002).

"The first time we may be completely certain he has a --nuclear weapon is when, God forbids, he uses one."
Source: Address to the United Nations General Assembly, White House (9/12/2002).

"Iraq has made several attempts to buy high-strength aluminum tubes used to enrich uranium for a nuclear weapon."
Source: Address to the United Nations General Assembly, White House (9/12/2002).

"The history, the logic, and the facts lead to one conclusion: Saddam Hussein's regime is a grave and gathering danger. To suggest otherwise is to hope against the evidence. To assume this regime's good faith is to bet the lives of millions and the peace of the world in a reckless gamble. And this is a risk we must not take."
Source: Address to the United Nations General Assembly, White House (9/12/2002).

"The regime is seeking a nuclear bomb, and with fissile material, could build one within a year."
Source: President Bush Discusses Iraq with Congressional Leaders, White House (9/26/2002).

"The regime has longstanding and continuing ties to terrorist groups, and there are Al Qaida terrorists inside Iraq."
Source: George W. Bush Delivers Weekly Radio Address, White House (9/28/2002).

"The Iraqi regime possesses biological and chemical weapons."
Source: George W. Bush Delivers Weekly Radio Address, White House (9/28/2002).

Vice President Richard Cheney:

"[H]e is, in fact, actively and aggressively seeking to acquire nuclear weapons."
Source: Meet the Press, NBC (9/8/2002).

"VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: And what we've seen recently that has raised our level of concern to the current state of unrest, if you will, if I can put it in those terms, is that he now is trying, through his illicit procurement network, to acquire the equipment he needs to be able to enrich uranium to make the bombs. QUESTION: Aluminum tubes. VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: Specifically aluminum tubes."
Source: Meet the Press, NBC (9/8/2002).

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld:

"The problem with that is the way one gains absolutely certainty as to whether a dicatator like Saddam Hussein has nuclear weapons is if he uses it, and that's a little late."
Source: Secretary Rumsfeld's Interview on Face the Nation, CBS (9/8/2002).

"He has, at this moment, stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons."
Source: Testimony of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld before the House Armed Services Committee, House Armed Services Committee (9/18/2002).

"They have amassed large clandestine stockpiles of chemical weapons including VX and sarin and mustard gas."
Source: Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Defense Department (9/27/2002).

"Second, they question . . . what is the proof that Iraq has nuclear weapons? Where's the smoking gun? . . . But if you think about it, the last thing we should want is a smoking gun. A gun doesn't smoke until it has been fired and the goal has to be to stop such an attack before it starts. As the President told the United Nations, 'The first time we may be completely certain that a terrorist has nuclear weapons is when, God forbid,' he said, 'they use one.'"
Source: Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Defense Department (9/27/2002).

National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice:

"We do know that there have been shipments going . . . into Iraq . . . of aluminum tubes that really are only suited to -- high-quality aluminum tools [sic] that are only really suited for nuclear weapons programs, centrifuge programs."
Source: Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, CNN (9/8/2002).

"The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."
Source: Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, CNN (9/8/2002).

Secretary of State Colin Powell:

"QUESTION: I want to get to all that, but still a couple more questions on his capabilities. If he were able to deploy right now his chemical and biological stocks, how many people could he kill? SECRETARY POWELL: I don't know. It depends on how he deployed them, where he deployed them. Chemical weapons are different from biological weapons. And let's just recognize the fact that he has them, he has used them before, and he has killed thousands of people in their use."
Source: Interview by Tony Snow and Brit Hume on Fox News Sunday, Fox News (9/8/2002).

"There is no doubt that he has chemical weapons stocks."
Source: Interview by Tony Snow and Brit Hume on Fox News Sunday, Fox News (9/8/2002).

4th Anniversary of the War On Iraq

They said the threat "from weapons of mass destruction’" was great enough to justify the invasion – and they had the evidence to prove it.

They predicted the war would take months, not years, and the reconstruction would be paid for with Iraqi oil.

Dick Cheney predicted we’d be "greeted as liberators."

As the war enters its fifth year, we know there were no WMDs and no evidence of them.

So far, the war has cost more than $407,000,000,000 and more than 3,100 lives.

Haliburton Co. repaid the nation for billions in war-related government contracts by moving from Houston to Dubai, home of friendlier tax laws and even friendlier government leaders.

People tried to warn us.

The Financial Times described the Bush administration’s pre-war, financial analysis as "a piece of fiction."

In Australia, 43 legal experts insisted that an attack of Iraq would be a violation of international law.

Jimmy Carter, writing in the New York Times, described Bush’s foreign policy as "increasingly unilateral and domineering" and said Bush had "brought international trust in our country to its lowest level in memory. American stature will surely decline further if we launch a war in clear defiance of the United Nations."

Carter was right.

Along with losing the Twin Towers, much of New Orleans, the surplus, the separation of church and state and our Fourth Amendment rights, the Bush administration has cost America many of its allies and diminished its standing in the world.

Over the next week, ProgressOhio will examine the events immediately before the war began.

We were surprised by some things we found and think you will be, too.