June 29, 2005, 9pm EDT
Democrats Challenge President's Speech on Iraq
Some prominent congressional Democrats criticized President Bush's speech Wednesday, saying he shouldn't have invoked the memory of the Sept. 11 attacks when urging support for Iraq. National security advisor Stephen Hadley and Sen. Joseph Biden, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offer their reactions to the speech.

June 28, 2005, 9:15pm EDT
President Appeals for Continued Support in Iraq Conflict
President Bush, hoping to bolster sagging public support for the war in Iraq, called on Americans to back the work of stabilizing and rebuilding the war-torn nation, saying the effort was critical to the continuing war against terrorism.

Text | RealAudio: President Bush's address

RealAudio: Two political columnists and two military experts assess Mr. Bush's speech and the state of Iraq policy.

June 27, 2005, 4:15pm EDT
Violence Undermines U.S. Efforts in Iraq
A U.S. Apache attack helicopter crashed Monday just north of Baghdad killing its two crew members, the U.S. military said in a statement. The incident was part of a day of violence that included roadside bombs and other ambushes.

June 24, 2005, 2:15pm EDT
Iraq Seeks Footing in International Community
Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari attended an international conference in Brussels on Wednesday and met with top U.S. advisers at the White House on Thursday. The meetings come as Iraq works to rebuild its security forces in the face of continuing internal violence.

After a recap of a Senate hearing on Iraq's military strategy, al-Jaafari's spokesman Laith Kubba sits down with Margaret Warner to discuss the country's troop training and other rebuilding efforts. (6/23/05)

RealAudio: President Bush and al-Jaafari address the question of whether the United States should have a clearly defined exit strategy from Iraq and other questions at a press conference Friday.

June 20, 2005, 12:30pm EDT
Insurgent Attacks Kill Dozens in Iraq
A weekend of violence in Iraq continued into Monday as a suicide bomber struck in the northern city of Irbil, killing 16 police officers and wounding more than 100 people, including police and civilians.

June 16, 2005, 3pm EDT
Democrats Demand White House Response to Downing Street Memo
More than 100 Democrats in the House delivered a letter to the White House Thursday demanding that President Bush respond to the so-called Downing Street Memo and other confidential documents obtained by the Times of London that suggest the United States had already decided to use force to oust Saddam Hussein in 2002. Two former CIA officials discuss the memos' impacts.

British Government Documents:
Original "Downing Street Memo"
Cabinet Office Paper
Iraq: Legal Background (PDF)
Iraq Options (PDF)
Chief Foreign Policy Advisor David Manning Memo (PDF)
British Ambassador Christopher Meyer Letter (PDF)
British Foreign Office Political Director Peter Ricketts Letter (PDF)
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw Memo (PDF)

June 15, 2005, 3pm EDT
Bombings Kill Dozens of Iraqis; Hostage Freed
Nearly 40 people died in two separate insurgent attacks in Iraq Wednesday, while Iraqi and U.S. forces, acting on a tip, freed an Australian hostage who was hidden beneath a blanket, authorities said.

June 14, 2005, 8:45pm EDT
Suicide Bomber Strikes Kirkuk; U.S. Public Support of War on Decline
A man wearing a belt of explosives blew himself up in a crowd of civilians in the northern city of Kirkuk Tuesday, killing at least 23 people and injuring 100 others. Edward Wong of the New York Times describes the latest violence from Baghdad.

As casualties continue to mount, public support for the war has steadily eroded. Pollster Andy Kohut explains the latest trends in U.S. opinion.

June 8, 2005, 9pm EDT
Iraq Struggles to Provide Power, Peace
Former electricity minister, Aiham al-Sammarae, discusses the current climate in Iraq as the new government tackles security issues, insurgency violence and the lack of electricity and power. Then, Jonathan Finer of the Washington Post speaks about al-Sammarae's announcement that he has been in contact with the insurgency about beginning negotiations to end their attacks.

June 6, 2005, 9pm EDT
Iraq Government Grapples with Insurgent Violence
The Iraqi government announced Monday it detained nearly 900 suspected militants in a two week crackdown on the insurgency. Phebe Marr of the U.S. Institute of Peace, recently back from a visit to Iraq, discusses the fledgling democratic government's efforts to rebuild and improve security under the strain of ongoing insurgent violence.

June 2, 2005, 8:50pm EDT
Iraqi Foreign Minister Calls on U.S. to Train More Iraqi Troops
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, having persuaded the United Nations to extend its mission to Iraq, is urging the United States to accelerate the training of local security forces. After meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Zebari discussed the ongoing insurgency and his country's efforts to end the violence.

May 31, 2005, 11:50am EDT
Helicopter Crashes, Provincial Governor Found Dead in Iraq
Four Italian troops died in a helicopter crash overnight and the governor of Anbar province was found dead after fighting between U.S. forces and insurgents who abducted him three weeks ago, officials said Tuesday. Meanwhile, President Jalal Talabani told CNN that authorities are expected to put deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on trial in the next two months.

May 30, 2005, 7:15pm EDT
Suicide Bombers Attack Police in Iraq
Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a crowd of police officers in Iraq on Monday, killing about 30 people, as U.S. jet fighters destroyed insurgent strongholds near Syria's border. Gwen Ifill discusses the latest round of violence and how it is impacting people in Baghdad with Jonathan Finer in the Washington Post's Baghdad bureau.

May 24, 2005, 7pm EDT
Insurgency Continues Campaign Against Iraqi, U.S. Targets
Militants in Iraq have continued to launch attacks against Iraqi and American forces, killing scores of Iraqis in recent days and at least 14 American soldiers. Even as U.S. and Iraqi troops continued to hunt for insurgents, a militant Web site reported that one of the key leaders of the guerilla fighting, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had been wounded. Richard Oppel of The New York Times updates the situation.

May 23, 2005, 4pm EDT
Sunnis Agree to Participate in Government
A thousand Sunnis representing religious, political and tribal groups have formed an alliance to take a larger role in the Iraqi government as another wave of attacks hit several Iraqi cities Monday.

May 16, 2005, 7:30pm EDT
At Least 45 Bodies Found in Iraq; Cleric Demands Coalition Forces Leave
Three Iraqis were found shot dead in Baghdad Monday and a slain Kurd was left in a garbage dump in northern Iraq, raising to 45 the number of bodies found in recent days. The Iraqi government has vowed to find those involved.

Transcript: A published report on a week-long battle between Marines and insurgents in western Iraq said U.S. forces were outgunned. Margaret Warner speaks with Ellen Knickmeyer, of The Washington Post, about her reporting.

May 11, 2005, 1:30pm EDT
U.S. Forces Push Toward Syria; Car Bombs Shake Iraq
A series of suicide bombers killed at least 60 people and wounded 100 in several Iraqi cities Wednesday as U.S. forces continued an offensive aimed at uprooting insurgents near the Syrian border.

May 10, 2005, 8:30pm EDT
Insurgents Kidnap Iraqi Official as Offensive Continues
As U.S. Forces continued their offensive against the rising insurgency near the Syrian border Tuesday, a newly elected governor of the Anbar province near Baghdad was kidnapped. Following a report from The Washington Post's Jonathan Finer, retired Army Col. Patrick Lang and editor Mahan Abedin discuss the offensive and other developments in Iraq.

May 9, 2005, 1:40pm EDT
U.S. Forces Launch Major Operation Against Foreign Insurgents
In one of its largest ground operations since the taking of Fallujah six months ago, U.S. Marines and other American forces launched a major operation targeting insurgents operating in the sparsely populated region of Western Iraq, near the Syrian border.

May 5, 2005, 2pm EDT
Insurgents Strike Iraqi Security Forces
Insurgents continued a bloody series of assaults Thursday, targeting Iraq's security forces and recruits in four separate attacks in Baghdad that killed at least 21 people and wounded another 26.

May 4, 2005, 7:50pm EDT
Scores Die in Northern Iraq Suicide Bombing
A suicide bomber posing as a job applicant at a police recruiting center in the city of Irbil blew himself up Wednesday, killing at least 50 people and wounding some 100 others.

Transcript: Ray Suarez discusses the latest increase in violence in Iraq with Erik Gustafson, executive director of the Education for Peace in Iraq Center, and former ambassador Peter Galbraith.

May 3, 2005, 7:30pm EDT
Iraq's First Elected Government Takes Office
Shiite Arab Ibrahim al-Jaafari was sworn in as prime minister in Baghdad Tuesday as Iraq's first democratically elected government took office.

Transcript: Also Tuesday, Italy released a report that conflicts with the U.S. investigation into the shooting at an Iraqi checkpoint that killed an Italian agent. Two reporters discuss the findings.

May 2, 2005, 1:30pm EDT
Trio of Car Bombs Mark Latest Violence in Iraq
Three car bombs exploded in Baghdad on Monday, killing at least eight people in the latest surge in violence since a new Iraqi government was named last week.

Transcript: Caryle Murphy of The Washington Post's Baghdad bureau provides an update on the recent upswing in insurgent violence that has left at least 130 people dead since Thursday.

April 29, 2005, 3:20pm EDT
Insurgents Unleash Multiple Bomb Attacks in Iraq
Insurgents set off some 11 bombs in Iraq Friday, killing at least 24 people including seven Iraqi civilians and one American soldier. More than 100 people were wounded in the attacks.

April 28, 2005, 9:40pm EDT
Iraqi National Assembly Approves Partial Cabinet
Iraq's interim National Assembly adopted a partial list of cabinet ministers Thursday, paving the way for the country's first democratically elected government since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

April 27, 2005, 8:45pm EDT
Lead Investigator Outlines the End of the Search for WMD in Iraq
An 18-month investigation into Iraq's purported cache of weapons of mass destruction ended Monday when the CIA's top weapons inspector, Charles Duelfer, released a final report saying no weapons were found. Duelfer discusses the report and the flaws in America's intelligence.

April 25, 2005, 12:45pm EDT
Iraq Postpones Naming Government; Insurgents Launch More Attacks
Iraqi politicians failed again Monday to break a three-month deadlock over naming a transitional government, as the death toll from a weekend of coordinated insurgent attacks targeting police and civilians reached 29.

April 21, 2005, 5:30pm EDT
Senate Passes $81 Billion in Extra Funding for Afghanistan, Iraq
The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved $81 billion in additional emergency funding for security and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Meanwhile in Iraq, a commercial helicopter contracted by the U.S. government was shot down by missile fire 12 miles north of Baghdad, killing six American contractors and at least five others.

April 20, 2005, 7:20pm EDT
Scores of Bodies Found in Tigris River; 19 Executed in Separate Killing
Iraqi authorities pulled the bodies of more than 50 people believed to be Shiite hostages seized in the Madain region south of Baghdad from the Tigris River Wednesday.

Transcript: Robert Worth of The New York Times reports from Baghdad on the day's incidents.

April 18, 2005, 1:20pm EDT
Activist Killed in Car Blast; Iraqi Forces Search for Hostages
As Iraqi security forces continued to search for more than 100 Shiites reportedly held hostage south of Baghdad, officials reported the death of a young founder of a humanitarian group aimed at helping civilian casualties in Iraq.

April 14, 2005, 9pm EDT
Dual Car Bomb Blasts Kill at Least 18 in Baghdad
Two car bombs detonated outside an Iraqi police ministry in Baghdad Thursday, killing at least 18 and wounding 36. Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for this latest in a recent upswing in attacks.

Transcript: New York Times reporter Robert Worth updates the situation in Iraq.

April 13, 2005, 1pm EDT
Iraqi Police Die Trying to Defuse Bomb as U.S. Official Visits
A second senior U.S. official made an unannounced visit to Iraq Wednesday on a day of violence, including a bombing that killed 12 Iraqi policemen and the airing of a video showing a hostage pleading for his life.

April 12, 2005, 11:30am EDT
Rumsfeld Urges Swift Formation of Iraqi Government
During a visit to Iraq Tuesday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met with U.S. troops and urged new Iraqi government leaders to move quickly toward developing a constitutional government to avoid charges of corruption and insurgent activity.

April 11, 2005, 11:30am EDT
Iraqi-U.S. Forces Round Up Dozens of Suspected Insurgents
U.S. and Iraqi forces launched their biggest raid in Baghdad in recent weeks, sweeping though a central neighborhood Monday and detaining dozens of suspected insurgents, the military said.

March 14, 2003, 10:00 pm EST
The Search for an Iraqi Endgame
Jim Lehrer gets two views on what may lie ahead as Security Council nations continue efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the Iraq debate.

Update: Amid continued diplomatic wrangling among the members of the U.N. Security Council, leaders of the three sponsor nations of a resolution that would authorize force to disarm Saddam Hussein will hold a summit on Sunday.

March 13, 2003, 7:45 PM EST
U.S. Says U.N. Vote May Be Delayed, Declined
Margaret Warner discusses the evolving diplomatic field for the U.S. with Sen. Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, and Charles William Maynes, a former assistant secretary of state during the Carter administration.

Update: Bush administration officials signaled Thursday that the U.S. may allow more time for debate over a United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing military force in Iraq -- or may drop plans to bring the resolution to a vote at all.

March 12, 2003, 8:45 pm EST
Britain Proposes Six-Step Disarmament Plan for Iraq
RealAudio: British Prime Minister Tony Blair, facing massive public opposition to a war on Iraq without a second United Nations resolution, proposed a list of disarmament benchmarks he hoped would break the diplomatic deadlock in the U.N. Security Council.

The new proposal, which would also greatly extend the deadline for Iraq to confirm its disarmament, outlines six specific measures the government in Baghdad must undertake to come into compliance.

The Financial Times' Gerard Baker and Pippa Norris of Harvard University assess the British effort.

Update: Background on this story.

March 12, 2003, 8:45 pm EST
Iraq's Worried Northern Neighbor
On March 1, Turkey's parliament did not approve a U.S. request to allow American troops in to set up for a possible invasion of Iraq. Elizabeth Farnsworth reports from Turkey on the political changes and continuing debate the country has seen since that decision.

March 12, 2003, 8:45 pm EST
The Kurdish Perspective: Regional Prime Minister Barham Salih
Post-Gulf War conditions, including U.S. and British patrols of the no-fly zone, have allowed the Kurds in Northern Iraq to gain a large degree of political autonomy. Ray Suarez speaks with one of that region's leaders, Prime Minister Barham Salih of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan regional government.

March 11, 2003, 8:30 PM EST
Baghdad Braces for War
Simon Marks reports from Baghdad on how ordinary Iraqis are preparing their homes and businesses for a possible U.S.-led war against their country.

U.S., Britain Continue Search for U.N. Votes
U.S. and British leaders continued their campaign to persuade six undecided countries -- Chile, Mexico, Angola, Cameroon, Guinea and Pakistan -- to support a resolution imposing a strict deadline for Iraq to disarm or face war.

Margaret Warner examines the latest diplomatic developments with reporters David Sanger and Felicity Barringer of the New York Times.

March 10, 2003, 9:25 pm EST
Diplomatic Efforts in the Security Council
Six members of the U.N. Security Council are expected to abstain or vote against a U.S.-backed resolution to impose a March 17 deadline on Iraqi disarmament. Gwen Ifill and guests discuss the U.S.'s efforts to gain support for a new resolution on Iraq.

March 10, 2003, 4:35 pm EST
Chirac Says France Will Veto U.N. Resolution on Iraq
Update: French President Jacques Chirac said Monday that "no matter what the circumstances" France will vote against a new U.S.-backed resolution currently being considered by the United Nations Security Council that would give Iraqi President Saddam Hussein a March 17 deadline to disarm or face possible military consequences.

March 7, 2003, 4:52 pm EST
Analysis of the U.N. Inspectors' Reports on Iraq
Former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski and Senators John Warner (R-Va.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) react to the the inspectors' reports and discuss the prospects for a U.S. and British-backed resolution setting a firm disarmament deadline for Iraq.

Update: Top weapons inspectors deliver a key report to the United Nations Security Council on the state of Iraq's efforts to disarm, welcoming increased levels of cooperation from Baghdad, but citing a continuing need for more information in order to achieve a thorough investigation.

Text | RealAudio: Hans Blix's report.
Text | RealAudio: Chief nuclear inspector Mohamed ElBaradei's report.

Text | RealAudio: Secretary of State Powell
Text | RealAudio: Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov
Text | RealAudio: French Foreign Minister de Villepin
Text | RealAudio: Chinese Foreign Minister Tang
Text | RealAudio: British Foreign Secretary Straw
Text | RealAudio: Iraqi U.N. Ambassador Aldouri

March 7, 2003, 2:50 pm EST
U.S., U.K. Proposal Sets March 17 Deadline for Iraqi Compliance
Update: Facing stiff opposition to a new United Nations resolution that would pave the way for military action against Iraq, British and U.S. officials offered an amended proposal Friday that would give Saddam Hussein until March 17 to comply with past disarmament resolutions.

March 6, 2003, 10:10 pm EST
President Bush Makes Case Against Iraq, Calls for U.N. Vote
Update: In a prime-time news conference, President Bush reiterated his call for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to completely disarm and said it was time for the United Nations Security Council to vote on a second resolution.

March 6, 2003, 10:00 pm EST
Diplomatic Wrangling over Iraq Continues
Britain attempted Thursday to forge a compromise over a new resolution on Iraq, and China joined a coalition of nations opposing the use of force. Jim Lehrer discusses these developments and the prospects for further diplomacy with James Schlesinger, secretary of defense in the Nixon and Ford Administrations, and Samuel Berger, national security adviser under Pres. Clinton.

Update: Chinese officials on Thursday announced their support for a joint statement released Wednesday by France, Germany and Russia vowing to block a United Nations resolution authorizing the use of force on Iraq.

March 5, 2003, 6:30pm EST
Powell Accuses Iraq of Trying to Divide U.N.
Update: Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday that a divided Security Council will embolden Saddam Hussein to further thwart United Nations inspection efforts, but will not keep the United States and its allies from using force, if necessary, to disarm Iraq.

Powell's comments came hours after a joint statement by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Russia saying their countries would block a new resolution calling for the use of force in Iraq as long as inspectors are "producing increasingly encouraging results."

Transcript: Gwen Ifill gets two views on the diplomatic wrangling over a second Iraq resolution.

RealAudio: Powell's speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies

The full text of France, Germany and Russia's joint statement.

March 4, 2003, 8:30pm EST
Russia Threatens Veto of Second U.N. Resolution
Update: Diplomats at the United Nations and abroad continued to debate the merits of a second U.S. and British-backed resolution that accuses Iraq of thwarting weapons inspections and would likely lead to military intervention against Saddam Hussein.

U.S. efforts to gather the nine Security Council votes necessary to pass a new resolution suffered a setback Tuesday when Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said his nation would not support any measure that led directly to a war on Iraq and was prepared to use its veto in the council.

Gwen Ifill gets three views on the state of the Iraq debate as the U.S. push for a second resolution continues.

March 3, 2003, 9:05pm EST
U.S. Troops Train for Urban Warfare
As preparations continue for possible military action in Iraq, U.S. soldiers receive urban assault training that will prepare them for possible street battles in unfamiliar territory.

March 3, 2003, 3:05pm EST
Iraq Continues U.N.-Mandated Missile Destruction
Update: Iraq continued the destruction of its supply of al-Samoud 2 missiles on Monday, but warned it may stop the process if the United States continues preparations for war.

Chief U.N. inspector Hans Blix had ordered the missiles' destruction in a letter to Iraqi officials. U.N. inspectors claim the missiles are capable of reaching targets outside of a 93-mile radius limit that Iraq agreed to in 1991.

March 3, 2003, 1:53pm EST
Turkey Mulls Re-Vote After Rejecting U.S. Troop Deployment
Update: Government officials in Ankara are sending mixed signals over whether the Turkish parliament will reconsider Saturday's rejection of a resolution to allow U.S. troops to use their country as a base during a possible war with Iraq.

Turkish leaders failed on Saturday to gather enough support among ruling party lawmakers for parliament to accept U.S. troops. Parliament's decision stunned many in Washington and jeopardized U.S. planning for a northern front against Iraq, a major part of the Bush administration's war strategy.

February 28, 2003, 8:40pm EST
Deepening Divide
John Ruggie, former assistant secretary-general at the U.N., and Max Boot of the Council on Foreign Relations discuss the state of play within the United Nations.

Update: As United Nations weapons inspectors delivered a progress report that reportedly concluded there had been little progress in its efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein, Iraqi officials announced Friday they would comply with a U.N. order to destroy their al-Samoud 2 missile program.

Hans Blix, the lead U.N. inspector welcomed the decision, calling it "a very significant piece -- a real disarmament."

February 27, 2003, 9:30pm EST
Kurdish Opposition Calls for Democratic Iraq
The Iraqi opposition, meeting in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, says it wants talks with Washington and Ankara to try to prevent Turkish troops moving into Iraq.

Kurdish leaders also told U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad it would be easy to topple President Saddam Hussein but hard to run the country without the help of opposition leaders.

New York Times correspondent Judith Miller reports from northern Iraq on the recent meetings of the anti-Saddam Hussein opposition.

February 27, 2003, 9:30pm EST
The Spreading of Democracy to Iraq and the Middle East
Two experts discuss whether Saddam Hussein's ouster could lead to democracy in Iraq and surrounding areas of the Middle East, and what the United States' role should be in bringing about such democratization.

February 27, 2003, 2:45pm EST
Pres. Bush and Russia's Putin Discuss Iraq as U.N. Security Council Meets
Update: On the heels of President Bush's speech Wednesday night on his vision for a post-Saddam Iraq, Mr. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to intensify their efforts to work with the United Nations Security Council toward a solution to the Iraq crisis.

Meanwhile, the Security Council met in a closed session Thursday to begin the first round of negotiations over the next steps on Iraqi disarmament.

February 26, 2003, 9:35pm EST
President Bush Outlines Plan for Post-Saddam Iraq
Text: A new democratic government in Iraq could fuel a wave of transition to democracy across the Middle East, President Bush said in a nationally televised speech to the American Enterprise Institute Wednesday.

February 25, 2003, 9:30pm EST
The Shia Perspective: Ayatollah Muhammad Bakr al Hakim
U.S. officials, Iraqi exiles and others continue to discuss what a possible post-Saddam Hussein Iraq may look like.

One of the key leaders of the Shia Muslim opposition, Ayatollah Muhammad Bakr al Hakim, expressed his opposition to a U.S. military governor for Iraq in this NewsHour interview. He also reaffirmed his support for a democratic state during a discussion with Elizabeth Farnsworth in Tehran.

February 24, 2003, 8:10pm EST
U.S., U.K. Propose New U.N. Resolution, Warn of Possible War
Update: Britain, with the support of the U.S. and Spain, introduced a new resolution in the United Nations Security Council Monday saying Iraq has missed "the final opportunity" to disarm peacefully.

Transcript: U.K. Ambassador to the U.N. Sir Jeremy Greenstock discusses the resolution and the French counter-proposal.

Full Text: The Second Resolution proposed by Britain, the U.S. and Spain
Full Text: An expanded inspection proposal from the French, German and Russian representatives

February 21, 2003, 9:45pm EST
Turkey Weighs U.S. Economic Aid Offer
U.S. ships carrying tanks and other military equipment have been stalled for days off the Turkish coast, awaiting Turkey's authorization to use its bases in preparation for a possible invasion of Iraq.

On Friday, Turkish officials moved closer to agreeing on a deal that would allow U.S. combat troops to use Turkey's bases in exchange for billions in U.S. economic aid.

Experts discuss the sticking points in the negotiations, and the importance of Turkey in potential U.S. war plans.

February 20, 2003, 8:45pm EST
Sec. Rumsfeld: U.S. Military Ready for Iraq Invasion
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says the military is ready to begin a military action in Iraq if President Bush decides to give the order.

"[W]e are at a point where if the president makes that decision, the Department of Defense is prepared and has the capabilities and the strategy to do that."

The secretary talks with Jim Lehrer about U.S war planning and troop buildup in the Middle East, humanitarian concerns within Iraq, and U.S. relations with Europe and the rest of the world.

February 18, 2003, 8:05pm EST
Assessing the Diplomatic State of Play
While the United States and Britain work on a second resolution that would authorize military action in Iraq, many countries attended a United Nations meeting Tuesday to demand more time for weapons inspections to disarm Baghdad peacefully.

Ray Suarez gets two views on the state of diplomatic play at the U.N. and around the world on the Iraq issue.

February 18, 2003, 3:05pm EST
President Bush Not Swayed By Protests
Update: President Bush said Tuesday he would not allow the weekend's protests against a possible war in Iraq change U.S. policy toward the government of Saddam Hussein.

February 17, 2003, 8:45pm EST
Worldwide Demonstrations Oppose Iraq War
The debate over a possible war with Iraq triggered massive protests over the weekend, with as many as 7.5 million people participating around the world.

February 17, 2003, 8:45pm EST
European Leaders Warn Iraq of "Last Chance" to Disarm
Update: After sometimes tough negotiations, the leaders of 15 European nations issued a firmly worded statement warning Iraq it had one "last chance" to disarm peacefully.

RealAudio: Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and German Ambassador to the United States Wolfgang Ischinger discuss the Iraq debate and the possible divisions between the U.S. and Europe.

February 14, 2003, 8:45pm EST
Weapons Inspectors Present New Report to Security Council
Update: United Nations chief weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei reported to the U.N. Security Council Friday on their inspection teams' progress in Iraq. Blix said his team had found no weapons of mass destruction, but told the council that "many proscribed weapons and items are not accounted for."

The report sparked a major debate over whether to continue inspection efforts, as Germany and France have said, or prepare for possible military intervention, as endorsed by the U.S. and Britain.

Text | RealAudio: Hans Blix's statement
Text | RealAudio: Mohamed ElBaradei's statement

Transcript: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft assess the state of world opinion toward Iraq.

International Response
Text | RealAudio: Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shara
Text | RealAudio: French Foreign Minister De Villepin
Text | RealAudio: U.K. Foreign Secretary Straw
Text | RealAudio: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
Text | RealAudio: Chinese Frn. Minister Tang Jiaxuan
Text | RealAudio: Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov
Text | RealAudio: German Foreign Minister Fischer
Text | RealAudio: Iraqi U.N. Ambassador Aldouri

February 13, 2003, 7:30pm EST
Security Council Report Casts Spotlight on Hans Blix
United Nations chief weapons inspector Hans Blix and nuclear chief Mohammed ElBaradei are preparing for Friday's report to the U.N. Security Council.

The report will cast Blix as the key player as the security council and the U.S. weigh how to deal with Saddam Hussein's government.

Four experts familiar with the Swedish diplomat and inspector assess Blix's history and his role in the confrontation with Iraq.

February 11, 2003, 7:30pm EST
U.S. Debates What a Post-Saddam Iraq Will Look Like
The U.S. Senate questioned administration officials about who will run Iraq if Saddam Hussein is ousted from power and what role the U.S. will play politically and militarily.

Four Iraqi, humanitarian and reconstruction experts consider what a post-Saddam Iraq will look like.

February 10, 2003, 7:30pm EST
France, Germany, Belgium Block NATO Assistance to Turkey
Examining the deepening divide between the U.S. and its key European allies over the possibility of war with Iraq.

Update: European dissent over U.S. plans for a possible confrontation with Iraq continued to grow Monday as key American allies blocked a NATO proposal to provide defensive aid to Turkey and prepared a plan to prolong United Nations inspections in Iraq.

February 10, 2003, 4:30pm EST
Iraq Approves Use of Surveillance Planes to Aid Inspectors
Update: Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations Mohamed Aldouri said Monday that his country had accepted the unconditional use of U.S.-made U-2 surveillance flights as part of the U.N. weapons inspections currently underway across Iraq.

February 7, 2003, 8:30pm EST
British and French Diplomats Assess the Prospect of War with Iraq
As world leaders continue to react to Secretary of State Colin Powell's U.N. address earlier this week, Jim Lehrer talks with two ambassadors about U.S. allegations against Iraq and upcoming diplomatic efforts to deal with the issue.

Jean-David Levitte, the French ambassador to the U.S., says inspections could still work, while Britain's ambassador to the U.N., Sir Jeremy Greenstock, asserts that Iraq's behavior will soon force an armed conflict.

February 7, 2003, 3:30pm EST
U.S. Steps Up Military Deployments to the Persian Gulf Region
Update: The U.S. military continues its deployment of forces to the Persian Gulf region, announcing Friday it was sending a fifth aircraft carrier to the area and saying the number of troops in the region would reach 150,000 by next weekend.

Military officials told wire services that the USS Kitty Hawk, which has been operating in the western Pacific region, would leave in the next few days to join the four U.S. and one British carrier already in the area.

February 6, 2003, 5:10pm EST
Pres. Bush Says "Game is Over" For Saddam
Three experts consider the remaining options for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to avoid a U.S.-led war.

Update: President Bush on Thursday called on the international community to bear down on Iraq, saying "the danger Saddam Hussein poses reaches across the world."

Referring to Secretary of State Colin Powell's renewed call for international action Wednesday, Mr. Bush said Saddam would likely "begin another round of empty concessions, transparently false denials. No doubt he will play a last-minute game of deception. The game is over."

Text | RealAudio: The president's speech.

February 6, 2003, 4:10pm EST
Inspectors Seek "Drastic Change" in Iraqi Cooperation
Update: The United Nations' chief weapons inspectors say Iraq will need to show increased cooperation in order to escape another unsatisfactory report to the U.N. Security Council.

February 5, 2003, 10:0pm EST
Fmr. Inspectors Assess the U.S. Case Against Iraq
Secretary of State Colin Powell presents photos, audio tapes and statements the U.S. says offers "undeniable" evidence that Iraq has defied calls for disarmament and continues to house weapons of mass destruction.

Secretary Powell's Speech
Update: Secretary Powell presents the U.S. case.

Part I -- Text | RealAudio: Iraq's alleged "policy of evasion and deception."
Part II -- Text | RealAudio: Chemical, biological and nuclear programs.
Part II -- Text | RealAudio: Secretary Powell urges the United Nations to enforce Resolution 1441.

United Nations Officials Respond
National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski and Sens. Richard Lugar and Carl Levin consider the international reaction to the secretary's presentation.

Update: International response to the U.S. report.

Text | RealAudio: Chinese Foreign Minister
Text | RealAudio: British Foreign Secretary
Text | RealAudio: Russian Foreign Minister
Text | RealAudio: French Foreign Minister
Text | RealAudio: Syrian Ambassador to U.N.
Text | RealAudio: German Foreign Minister
Text | RealAudio: Iraqi ambassador to the U.N.

February 4, 2003, 10:00pm EST
War and Diplomacy
Examining the secretary of state's role in the Iraq debate and on the world stage.

February 4, 2003, 2:00pm EST
Britain's Blair, France's Chirac Discuss Iraq Conflict
Update: British Prime Minister Tony Blair met with French President Jacques Chirac Tuesday in an unsuccessful diplomatic push to sway the French leader to join a U.S.-led coalition prepared to take military action against Saddam Hussein as part of the campaign to disarm Iraq.

January 31, 2003, 10:00pm EST
Iraq's Ambassador to the U.N. Mohammed Aldouri
Iraqi ambassador to the U.N. Mohammed Aldouri discusses his country's response to the U.N. weapons inspectors report presented to the United Nations Security Council this week.

January 31, 2003, 5:00pm EST
Charting a Course
Update: President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Friday that Iraq needs to move swiftly to prove it has disarmed in order to escape a military confrontation.

The president said Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is "a danger to the world," adding that any international push to extend the Iraq debate beyond a matter of weeks "will be opposed by the United States."

RealAudio: President Bush and Prime Minister Blair's comments on Iraq.

Transcript: Two views on how British Prime Minister Tony Blair's support for the U.S. position on Iraq is affecting his standing at home.

January 30, 2003, 5:30pm EST
European Rift
Four European views on the rift between the U.S. and France, Germany and other European nations on how to handle the Iraq conflict.

January 29, 2003, 6:45pm EST
Words of War
President Bush warned in his State of the Union address that war with Iraq may be inevitable. Senators Richard Lugar and Joseph Biden discuss the president's comments with Jim Lehrer.

Iraqi Diplomat Pledges Cooperation with U.N. Inspections
Update: On the heels of Tuesday's State of the Union speech in which President Bush outlined his case against Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammed AlDouri told reporters Wednesday that Iraq will "go a step farther and proactively cooperate" with U.N. weapons inspections.

January 28, 2003, 9:15pm EST
Newsmaker: Mohamed ElBaradei
The head of the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency discusses the report he and chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix filed before the Security Council Monday and the state of inspections in Iraq.

January 27, 2003, 9:25pm EST
U.N. Inspectors Report on Iraqi Weapons
Update: Chief United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix told the Security Council Monday that Iraq has not genuinely accepted U.N. disarmament demands, while nuclear watchdog head Mohamed ElBaradei said that inspectors still need a "few months" to provide credible assurances about Iraq's nuclear program.

RealAudio | Text: Blix's full report to the U.N.
RealAudio | Text: ElBaradei's full U.N. report.

Transcript: Former U.N. weapons inspectors David Albright and Raymond Zilinskas explore the inspection team's findings.

Transcript: Then Zbigniew Brezinski, former national security adviser under President Carter, examines the options for the U.S. and the world community in dealing with Iraq.

January 27, 2003, 3:45pm EST
Reaction to the U.N. Inspectors' Report
RealAudio: U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte.
RealAudio: Iraqi Ambassador Mohammed AlDouri.

RealAudio: Secretary of State Colin Powell
RealAudio: French Ambassador to the U.N. Jean-Marc de la Sabliere and German Ambassador to the U.N. Gunter Pleuger.

January 24, 2003, 8:30pm EST
More Time for Inspectors in Iraq?
As the White House warns Iraq that "time is running out" for them to comply fully with U.N. weapons inspections, U.S. Senators Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.) discuss whether the inspectors should be granted additional time to complete their work.

January 23, 2003, 10:00 pm EST
Arab Leaders Call for Peaceful Resolution to Iraq Crisis
A group of six Middle Eastern countries issued a statement Thursday urging Iraq to comply with U.N. resolutions. Faruk Logoglu, Turkey's ambassador to the U.S., discusses the statement and his country's stance on the Iraq conflict.

Update: As a war of words continued to heat up between Bush administration officials and foreign diplomats opposed to a military intervention in Iraq, U.S. and British leaders renewed their calls for Iraq to disarm.

January 22, 2003, 4:10 pm EST
Secretary Powell Outlines the U.S. Position
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the U.S. had enough information to make a judgment about war, but would wait to hear the report from United Nations inspectors Monday.

"[Saddam Hussein] still thinks that he can string out this process and escape the judgment of the international community," Sec. Powell said. "And the international community cannot allow that to happen."

Update: As U.S. forces continue to deploy in the Persian Gulf region, France and Germany announced they would work to prevent any U.S.-led military action against Iraq.

January 21, 2003, 2:00 pm EST
France Pushes E.U. to Avoid War Against Iraq
Gwen Ifill gauges the debate with Jed Babbin, former deputy undersecretary of defense during the first Bush administration; and Charles Kupchan, former director of European affairs during the Clinton administration.

Update: France, the current chair of the United Nations Security Council, said Tuesday it would ask European Union nations to unite in opposition to early military action in Iraq.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Belgian foreign minister, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said he would try to unite the 15 E.U. foreign ministers at a meeting early next week.

January 20, 2003, 6:30 pm EST
Will Saddam Step Down to Avoid War?
Turkey and other regional governments have reportedly begun floating a plan by which Saddam Hussein would step down from power and leave Iraq as a way of avoiding war with the United States. Although the Iraqi government has rejected such talk, calling it a form of "psychological warfare," the U.S. has said it would welcome such a deal.

Jim Lehrer assesses the possibility of exile for Saddam with Robin Wright, of the Los Angeles Times; former Egyptian diplomat Mohammed Wahby; and Judith Yaphe, a former analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency.

January 17, 2003, 6:30 pm EST
Anti-War Activists Rally in D.C., San Francisco
Thousands of demonstrators are expected in Washington this weekend to argue against possible U.S. military strike action in Iraq. Margaret Warner gauges the debate with Brian Becker, a spokesman for one of the groups organizing the demonstrations; and Randy Scheunemann, president and executive director of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq and a former consultant to the secretary of defense.

January 17, 2003, 12:30 pm EST
U.S. Calls Iraqi Warhead Discovery "Troubling"
A White House spokesman on Friday called United Nations weapons inspectors' discovery of empty chemical warheads in Iraq "troubling and serious," and said Baghdad had not declared the warheads in its weapons report as required by U.N. rules.

Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said the discovery of the 11 empty warheads designed to carry chemical weapons at a storage area south of Baghdad shows that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is not adhering to U.N. disarmament guidelines.

January 16, 2003, 3:20 pm EST
Inspectors Find Empty Warheads, Interview Scientists
Update: In separate operations Thursday, United Nations weapons inspectors questioned two Iraqi scientists at their homes and found 11 empty chemical missile warheads described as being in "excellent condition."

A group of inspectors used portable x-ray equipment to discover the buried warheads at a munitions storage area. Iraqi government spokesmen and U.N. officials debated whether the warheads had been previously disclosed in Iraq's report to the U.N.

January 15, 2003, 5:00 pm EST
Setting a Timetable on Iraq Inspections
How much time will U.N. inspectors need and how much will they get? Former IAEA Chief Inspector David Kay, and Notre Dame University's George Lopez discuss the options.

January 13, 2003, 2:00 pm EST
U.N. Team Says Iraq Inspections Could Take a Year
Update: United Nations weapons experts said Monday that they may need up to a year to complete their inspections in Iraq as thousands of U.S. troops continue to be deployed to the Gulf region in advance of a potential confrontation with Baghdad.

"We need to take a few months," IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Monday in Paris. "How long depends on the cooperation of Iraq."

January 10, 2003, 7:15 pm EST
America's Role
Washington Post columnist William Raspberry and former CIA Director James Woolsey engage in a dialogue on the issues raised by the U.S. confrontation with Iraq.

The two discuss the purpose of possible U.S. military action, the threat the U.S. believes Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein poses and the impact of military action on the war against terrorism.

January 9, 2003, 4:55 pm EST
U.N. Inspectors Say They've Found No "Smoking Gun" in Iraq
Update: Chief United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix told the U.N. Security Council Thursday that his inspection teams had not found any "smoking guns" after visiting some 125 Iraqi sites, but said he thought Iraq's 12,000-page weapons declaration was incomplete and not credible.

Transcript: Three experts discuss the U.N. inspectors' findings and discuss what lies ahead in the Iraq conflict.

RealAudio: Blix and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei discuss their report to the U.N. Security Council.

January 7, 2003, 3:58 pm EST
Britain Activates Military Reservists as France Tells Troops to Be Prepared
Update: Britain's Defense Minister, Geoff Hoon, activated some 1,500 reservists Tuesday and ordered a "significant" naval force to the Mediterranean as part of an increasing military buildup ahead of a possible war with Iraq.

Meanwhile in Paris, French President Jacques Chirac told his armed forces to be prepared for possible deployment, the clearest signal to date that France may participate in military action against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

January 2, 2003, 9:30 pm EST
U.S. Orders More Than 11,000 Troops to Gulf Region Amid Iraqi Criticism
Update: More than 11,000 U.S. troops prepared to fly to the Persian Gulf region Thursday amid fresh allegations from Baghdad that the U.S. will invade Iraq regardless of whether United Nations weapons inspectors find evidence of weapons of mass destruction.

Transcript: Three military experts discuss the recent troop movements and the larger U.S. military buildup ahead of a possible conflict with Iraq.

December 31, 2002, 4:25 pm EST
U.N. Chief Says Immediate Attack on Iraq Unjustified
Update: International weapons inspectors swooped down on six locations Tuesday as the United Nations secretary-general said no military action should take place until monitors report their findings to the Security Council in late January.

December 24, 2002, 4:25 pm EST
Iraqi Official Says "Nothing to Add" to Arms Declaration
Update: Iraq's chief representative to the United Nations said Baghdad is ready to talk to U.N. inspectors about their criticism of Iraq's 12,000-page arms declaration, but that it has nothing new to add to the report.

December 23, 2002, 1:55 pm EST
Unmanned U.S. Plane Shot Down Over Iraq
Update: Iraqi aircraft shot down an unmanned U.S. Predator aircraft in Iraq's southern no-fly zone Monday morning, Pentagon officials said.

The $3.7 million drone, which was conducting a reconnaissance mission, is considered a total loss, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers told a Pentagon news conference.

December 19, 2002, 8:15 pm EST
Head U.N. Inspector Says Gaps Remain in Iraq Weapons Report
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix discusses his findings. Then, former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright assess how the U.S. ought to respond.

Update: Iraq's weapons declaration contained information gaps and little new material on its programs, chief United Nations inspector Hans Blix told the U.N. Security Council Thursday.

Reaction to Inspectors' Report
Realaudio: British Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock
Realaudio: Chief U.N. Weapons Inspector Hans Blix and IAEA Director Mohamed ElBaradei
Realaudio: U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte
Realaudio: Iraq's Deputy Ambassador
Realaudio: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell

December 18, 2002, 10:00 pm EST
Responding to Iraq's Weapons Report
Experts discuss the emerging international response to Iraq's weapons declaration and assess the potential impact on the U.N. weapons inspection process and diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis.

Update: The British foreign minister on Wednesday criticized Iraq's 12,000-page declaration that claimed it had ended its weapons of mass destruction program, saying Saddam Hussein's government had failed to deliver a "full and complete" report.

December 16, 2002, 7:20 pm EST
After Saddam?
If Saddam Hussein is removed from power, who would be next in line to lead Iraq? Lowell Bergman and Judith Miller of The New York Times report on a group of would-be leaders who have been discussing the possibility of a post-Saddam Iraq.

December 12, 2002, 12:30 PM EST
Inspectors Search Six Iraqi Sites, Rumsfeld Signs Deal with Qatar
Update: United Nations weapons inspectors in Iraq combed through at least six suspected weapons sites on Thursday, shortly after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld signed a deal with the tiny Persian Gulf state of Qatar to upgrade military bases in preparation for possible military action in the region.

December 10, 2002, 9:30 pm EST
Congressional Leaders Consider the Next Move
As United Nations and American investigators continue to assess the 12,000-declaration from Iraq, Jim Lehrer gets congressional perspectives on the weapons confrontation from Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and Sen. Carl Levin (D- Mich.).

December 10, 2002, 5:40 pm EST
Iraq Disputes U.N. Decision, Inspections Intensify
Update: Iraq on Tuesday lashed out at the United Nations' decision to provide the United States with an unedited advance copy of the Iraqi weapons declaration, expressing fears the U.S. would manipulate the document to find a pretext to wage war.

December 9, 2002, 7:10 pm EST
Journalists, Regional Experts Assess Iraq's Declaration
Ray Suarez talks with New York Times Foreign Correspondent John Burns from Baghdad about Iraq's arms declaration.

Transcript: Margaret Warner discusses the process of deciphering Iraq's arms declaration with David Albright, a former nuclear inspector and president of the Institute for Science and International Security; and Jean Krasno, deputy director of the U.N. Oral History Project at Yale University.

December 9, 2002, 12:10 pm EST
Iraq Declares Itself Free of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Update: United Nations analysts have begun poring over the 12,000-page dossier that Iraq claims proves it is free of weapons of mass destruction. Iraq submitted the U.N.-ordered document over the weekend.

December 6, 2002, 7:00 pm EST
Previewing the Iraqi Declaration
New York Times foreign correspondent John Burns talks with Terence Smith about the impending deadline for Iraq to report its weapons programs.

December 5, 2002, 9:30 pm EST
War of Words
Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation magazine, and Jim Hoagland, columnist for The Washington Post discuss the heated charges from both the U.S. and Iraq after a week of weapons inspections and as the deadline for Iraq's weapons declaration approaches.

December 5, 2002, 6:30 pm EST
Saddam Says He Welcomes U.N. Inspections
Update: Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein told a group of his government's top officials Thursday that he welcomes the continuation of weapons inspections because he believes honest inspection efforts could exonerate his regime.

December 4, 2002, 9:45pm EST
Assessing the Progress of Weapons Inspections
New indications surfaced Wednesday that the Bush administration and the United Nations are parting ways over the effectiveness of the ongoing weapons inspections in Iraq. Two experts examine the differing views of the White House and the U.N. toward the inspections and discuss the next steps in the Iraqi inspection mission.

U.N. Inspectors Investigate Former Weapons Site
Update: A team of United Nations weapons experts continued their inspections in Iraq Wednesday, probing a former biological and chemical weapons plant and a nuclear power facility amid U.S. calls for a more vigorous inspection regime.

December 3, 2002, 2:45pm EST
U.N. Inspectors Visit Iraqi Palace
Update: A United Nations weapons team inspected one of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's presidential palaces Tuesday, as Iraqi officials announced they will comply with a U.N. deadline to declare that the country is free of weapons of mass destruction.

According to reporters who are following the inspection team, inspectors requested and gained access to the west Baghdad palace quickly and left after 90 minutes without commenting on their search.

December 2, 2002, 8:45pm EST
Iraq Weapons Inspections Hit Snag
Monday's inspections at a Baghdad factory that once made control and guidance systems for Iraqi long-range "stretch Scud" missiles found that items tagged by the previous U.N. inspection team in 1998 were missing.

Iraqi officials reportedly told inspectors that some of the items were destroyed by allied bombing while others had been transferred to other sites. Inspectors did not say whether the removal of the items would be considered a violation of U.N. restrictions.

New York Times reporter John Burns reports from Baghdad on the inspections and the upcoming Dec. 8 deadline for Iraq's "full and accurate, complete and credible list" of weapons programs.

December 2, 2002, 2:45pm EST
Britain Accuses Saddam of Human Rights Abuses
Update: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw unveiled a report on Monday that accuses Iraqi President Saddam Hussein of widespread human rights abuses.

November 28, 2002, 7:00pm EST
View from Northern Iraq
Journalist Robin Wright, the chief diplomatic correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, discusses her recent trip to Iraqi Kurdistan in Northern Iraq and details efforts among the Kurds to prepare for a possible battle with Baghdad.

November 27, 2002, 1:55pm EST
U.N. Team Begins Iraq Weapons Inspections
Update: An international inspection team began its work in Iraq Wednesday, searching a military missile-testing range and a state factory in the country's first United Nations-mandated weapons search since 1998.

Inspectors concentrated on the al-Rafah missile testing area, a part of a military compound that is largely empty except for a few steel structures that may be used in missile tests, the Associated Press reports.

The other site searched was a factory Iraqi officials say is used to produce motors for cement factories, refineries and water pumping stations, the AP reports.

November 25, 2002, 6:32pm EST
Activists Rally Opposition to Military Action in Iraq
While public opinion polls continue to show that a clear majority of Americans support President Bush's call for regime change in Iraq, anti-war sentiment has been growing around the country. Tens of thousands protested last month in cities like Washington, San Francisco and Seattle.

Elizabeth Brackett, of WTTW-Chicago, reports on grassroots efforts to express opposition to possible military action against Saddam Hussein.

November 22, 2002, 6:40pm EST
Inspecting Iraq: Mohamed ElBaradei
Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, discusses his recent trip to Baghdad and the scope and mission of the U.N. inspection teams beginning their work in Iraq.

November 20, 2002, 3:24pm EST
President Bush Says Iraq Must Work With U.N. , Calls War Last Resort
Update: President Bush on Wednesday said that Iraqi disarmament could be reached peacefully if the "collective will of the world is strong," but warned that Saddam Hussein could face "his final stage" as Iraq's leader if he deceives United Nations weapons inspectors.

"We now call an end to that game of deception and deceit and denial. Saddam Hussein has been given a very short time to declare completely and truthfully his arsenal of terror," the president said during an address in Prague ahead of a NATO summit.

November 18, 2002, 2:05pm EST
U.N. Weapons Inspectors Arrive in Iraq
Update: Opening the latest chapter in a decade-long effort to disarm Iraq, a team of top United Nations weapons officials and logistics experts arrived in Baghdad Monday to lay the groundwork for the resumption of international inspections for the first time in four years.

After arriving in Baghdad, chief U.N. inspector Hans Blix told reporters that credible inspections were "in the interest of Iraq and the interest of the world."

November 15, 2002, 5:50pm EST
Reports from the Persian Gulf
New York Times military correspondent Michael Gordon reports from U.S. military vessels in the Persian Gulf whose mission is to enforce sanctions against Iraq.

Part I: Correspondent Michael Gordon spends three days aboard the American cruiser Shiloh, the command ship of a coalition naval force in the Persian Gulf.

Part II: Correspondent Michael Gordon visits aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln to observe the U.S. military's training and preparation for a possible intervention in Iraq.

November 13, 2002, 12:50pm EST
Iraq Accepts United Nations Resolution
Saddam Hussein's government on Wednesday accepted a United Nations resolution calling on Iraq to eliminate its alleged weapons of mass destruction and readmit U.N. weapons inspectors.

November 12, 2002, 6:35pm EST
U.S. Military Continues Preparation for Possible Action
As Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein weighs his response to a new United Nations resolution, media reports continue to outline possible plans for a military strike. Experts discuss the U.S. Military preparedness and possible plans for action in the region.

November 11, 2002, 6:30pm EST
Inspecting Iraq
Former U.N. chief weapons inspector Rolf Ekeus discusses the prospects for the new team of inspectors should they return to Iraq.

November 13, 2002, 12:50pm EST
Iraq Accepts United Nations Resolution
Update: Saddam Hussein's government on Wednesday accepted a United Nations resolution calling on Iraq to eliminate its alleged weapons of mass destruction and readmit U.N. weapons inspectors.

November 8, 2002, 6:45pm EST
U.N. Security Council Unanimously Adopts Iraq Resolution
Experts examine the terms and potential consequences of the newly passed U.N. Security Council resolution on disarming Iraq.

November 8, 2002, 12:30pm EST
Update: All 15 U.N. Security Council members voted Friday to adopt a resolution giving Iraq one week to accept terms designed to eliminate its weapons of mass destruction or face "serious consequences."

The U.N. Security Council passes its resolution on Iraq and Weapons of Mass Destruction.
RealAudio Part One: Announcement of the U.N.'s approval of the resolution and opening remarks by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

RealAudio Part Two: Statements by representatives of the 15 members of the U.N. Security Council on the Iraq resolution.

RealAudio | Text: President Bush praises the U.N. decision and calls on Iraq to disarm.

Text: British Prime Minister Tony Blair reacts to the U.N. vote.

October 30, 2002, 6:10pm EDT
Inside Iraq
RealAudio: Terence Smith talks with New York Times correspondent John Burns about his three-week reporting stint in Iraq, including the release of thousands of prisoners from Iraqi jails.

October 25, 2002, 5:45pm EDT
U.S. Submits Iraq Resolution to the U.N. Security Council
Update: The United States formally introduced its draft resolution to disarm Iraq to the United Nations Security Council Friday, the same day France and Russia began circulating proposals to significantly reduce the forceful language of the resolution, according to diplomats.

October 16, 2002
President Bush Signs Congressional Iraq Resolution
Update: President Bush on Wednesday signed a congressional resolution giving him the authority to wage war if necessary to force Iraq to give up its alleged arsenal of biological and chemical weapons.

The president told an East Room ceremony that the U.S. would disarm Iraq "by whatever means that requires" — including the use of force.

RealAudio: President Bush's remarks before signing the congressional Iraq resolution.

October 15, 2002, 6:20pm EST
The United Nations Takes Up the Iraq Debate
Two former U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations discuss the U.N. Security Council debate over a tough new U.S.- and British-backed resolution on the disarming Iraq.

October 11, 2002, 12:54pm EST
Congress Gives President Bush Full Authority to Use Force in Iraq
Update: The U.S. Senate joins the House of Representatives in passing a resolution giving President Bush full congressional authorization to use military force if necessary to disarm Iraq.

Text: The joint congressional resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq.

October 10, 2002, 4:55pm EST
House Authorizes Use of Force, if Necessary, to Disarm Iraq
Update: The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a resolution authorizing President Bush to use military force if necessary to force Iraq to disarm.

Text: The House resolution. (pdf)

RealAudio: President Bush reacts to the House vote.

October 9, 2002, 6:40pm EST
U.N. Weapons Inspection
Hans Blix, the U.N.'s chief weapons inspector, discusses the possibility of resuming inspection in Iraq.

October 8, 2002, 2:05pm EST
World Reacts with Cautious Support to President Bush's Speech on Iraq
Update: World leaders expressed cautious support for President Bush's latest address outlining his case against Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein, although key members of the United Nations Security Council continued to express concern over the potential use of military force.

Text: President Bush's speech on Iraq.

October 7, 2002, 6:30pm EST
U.S. Public Opinion
Experts discuss what opinion polls reveal about public sentiment toward war against Saddam Hussein, the potential for unilateral U.S. action and the involvement of the United Nations.

October 4, 2002, 6:45pm EST
Iraqis in America on the Threat of War Against Saddam Hussein
A community of Iraqi immigrants in the U.S. discuss their fears on what military action may mean for their homeland.

October 3, 2002, 6:30pm EST
Senate Begins Debate on Iraq Resolution
The Senate began considering competing versions of a resolution authorizing military action against Iraq Thursday. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) outline the debate.

October 3, 2002, 6:11pm EST
Iraq Inspections Delayed While U.N. Resolution Debate Continues
Update: United Nations weapons inspectors say they will delay returning to Baghdad until the U.N. Security Council finished its debate over a tough new U.S.- and British-backed resolution on Iraq.

October 2, 2002, 6:40pm EDT
White House and House Reach Deal on Iraq Resolution
Reps. Jim Leach (R-Iowa), Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.), and Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) discuss the congressional resolution authorizing military action against Iraq.

October 2, 2002, 12:40 EDT
Update: President Bush and House leaders agreed Wednesday on a resolution that seeks to deal with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein "diplomatically if we can, militarily if we must.''

RealAudio: President Bush and congressional leaders discuss the resolution during a Rose Garden ceremony.

Text of the resolution as agreed upon by House leaders and the White House.

October 1, 2002
United Nations, Iraq Reach Tentative Agreement
RealAudio: The British Ambassador to the United Nations discusses the need for a new resolution to oversee inspections in Iraq.

Transcript: Former weapons inspectors assess the new deal to return U.N. officials to Iraq.

October 1, 2002, 6:29pm EDT
Update: United Nations weapons inspectors and an Iraqi delegation finished their second day of talks in Vienna on Tuesday with a tentative agreement on the immediate return of U.N. inspection teams to assess the state of Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons arsenal.

September 30, 2002, 6:25pm EST
Secretary of State Powell on U.N. Iraq Efforts
Secretary of State Colin Powell discusses the process of securing a United Nations resolution on Iraq and U.N. negotiations with the Iraqis to readmit weapons inspectors.

September 30, 2002
Iraq Rejects New Inspection Criteria
Update: Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix met with Iraqi officials in Vienna Monday to iron out the details of a new round of weapons inspections.

Blix told reporters his goal was to make clear that nothing in Iraq is off-limits to inspectors, including the palaces that were exempted under a 1998 deal struck between Iraq and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

However on Saturday, Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan rejected any changes in the inspections regime.

"Our position on the inspectors has been decided and any additional procedure is meant to hurt Iraq and is unacceptable,'' Ramadan said.

September 27, 2002, 6:45pm EDT
Political Debate Heats Up
Analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the partisan battle brewing over possible military action in Iraq.

September 27, 2002, 12:39pm EDT
Democrats, World Leaders Question Bush Administration's Iraq Plan
Update: President Bush's call for a congressional resolution supporting possible military intervention in Iraq is being met with opposition from Democratic lawmakers concerned with giving the White House unilateral authority to wage war on Saddam Hussein.

September 26, 2002, 2:01pm EDT
Pres. Bush Pushes Congress for Iraq Resolution
Update: President Bush says Congress and the White House are close to an agreement on a resolution for authorizing force against Iraq.

September 25, 2002, 6:15pm EDT
Rice Alleges Ties Between Iraq, Al-Qaida
President Bush's national security adviser says there "have been contacts between senior Iraqi officials and members of al-Qaida going back for...quite a long time." Rice said Iraq "provided some training to al-Qaida in chemical weapons development."