Best of TomPaine.com: The War In Iraq

August 02, 2005

Blog: Debating Means Without Ends

By Patrick Doherty

The flurry of calls for Washington to debate Iraq today are good, but we have to ask: To what end does each option lead us?
August 22, 2005

First, Ignore The Neocons

By Robert Dreyfuss

If the United States is to bring peace to Iraq and withdraw, we'll have to listen to the military and negotiate with the Baathist Sunni insurgents.
August 18, 2005

Blaming The Anti-War Messengers

By Norman Solomon

The right wing's denunciations of Cindy Sheehan echo battles from the past.
August 17, 2005

How To Get Out Of Iraq

By Robert Dreyfuss

'Out Now' is an empty slogan. 'Negotiate Now' has a chance. Here's what it could look like.
August 16, 2005

Operation Withdrawal Scam

By Norman Solomon

As support for war in Iraq plummets, expect the White House to pacify the public with talk of pull-out.
August 2, 2005

Blog: Thinking Bigger Than Iraq

By Patrick Doherty

We got into Iraq because of a larger strategic agenda. We'll get out that way, too.
July 27, 2005

The Tip Of The Iceberg?

By Richard Bulliet

The insidious belief that where there is one terrorist, there are many, paralyzes society and threatens to tear us apart.
July 27, 2005

Defending The Neocon War

By John Brown

As the London bombings threaten to undermine popular support for the Iraq war, neocons are forced to eat their own rhetoric.
July 26, 2005

Blog: What If...?

By Alexandra Walker

Juan Cole  responds to pundits who dispute the link between terrorism and the war in Iraq.
July 25, 2005    

Blog: Is Iraq A Civil War? Not Yet.

By Patrick Doherty

Iraq  remains on the verge of a full-scale civil war. And the biggest threat to stability is White House arrogance.
July 25, 2005    

A Way Out Of Iraq?

By Robert Dreyfuss

The bulk of the resistance in Iraq is neither faceless nor Al Qaeda. Yet when an intermediary arrived in Washington last week, the Pentagon wasn't interested.
July 25, 2005

Blog: Withdraw...And Then What?

By Patrick Doherty

There is a growing chorus of voices for an exit strategy from Iraq that starts with withdrawal. That's not progressive; that's foolish.
July 22, 2005

The Anti-Neocon

By David Corn

The debacle in Iraq is even turning conservative thinkers against the war.
July 20, 2005

Blog: The Reconstruction Dilemma

By Patrick Doherty

Iraq 's ministers just called on the world to help rebuild Iraq before it's too late. But it's not just a matter of money.
July 19, 2005    

Unnamed And Unnoticed

By Judith Coburn

Is there a better symbol of how the war for Iraq has already been lost than our ignorance about the cost of the war to Iraqis?
July 18, 2005

Oil-Control Formula

By Robert Dreyfuss

The United States didn't invade Iraq for the commercial benefits of oil. It invaded to control the black gold as a strategic commodity.
July 18, 2005  

Blog: Ending Occupation, Ensuring Security

By Patrick Doherty

Distinct but inseparable from the political track in Iraq, our troops must shift from counterinsurgency to constabulary mode.
July 15, 2005

Blog: T-Minus One Month And Counting

By Patrick Doherty

On August 15th, a major deadline will pass in Baghdad. What happens that day may just determine Iraq 's future.
July 14, 2005

Be Wiser Than Bush

By Rami Khouri

Blair should do what Bush has not: Address the legitimate needs, grievances and aspirations of the Arab-Asian world.
July 14, 2005

Blog: Sending The Wrong Message

By Patrick Doherty

This weekend's leaked memo on U.S. plans for withdrawal shows that the president is not serious about completing the mission.
July 11, 2005

Blog: Conflict Termination

By Patrick Doherty

Progressives have an opportunity to fill the yawning gap between Bush's Iraq strategy and reality. But they have to lead, not protest.
July 5, 2005

Blog: From Belfast To Baghdad

By Patrick Doherty

Staying the course in Iraq is a fool's errand. It's time to put together a viable peace process for Iraq so we can deal with the real problems facing the world.
June 29, 2005

An Iraqi Peace Process

By Robert Dreyfuss

Nice try, George. If Iraq is going to be viable and Americans are to come home, the right people must get to the right table.
June 29, 2005

The Vietnam Solution

By Robert Dreyfuss

With public opinion turning against the war and the insurgency strong, history presents a compelling case for how to get out.
June 28, 2005

Stay The Crooked Course

By Ray McGovern

Tonight, President Bush will tell the nation we must stay the course. One outspoken general knows that's losing advice.
June 28, 2005

The War Before The War

By John Prados

The Downing Street memos confirm that Bush initiated the war with Iraq in May 2002, seeking to provoke Saddam Hussein and soften his defenses.
June 24, 2005

Fixed Is Fixed

By Ray McGovern

With the Downing Street momentum building, it's time to dispel some of the smoke Bush's surrogates are blowing.
June 22, 2005

Proof Of Deception, Not Intention

By David Corn

More than proving Bush's intent to go to war, the Downing Street memos offer evidence that Bush's primary case for war was false.
June 22, 2005

Why The Memo Matters

By Mark Danner

The Downing Street Memos confirm the existence of presidential deceit, even if they don't prove it. In other words, probable cause.
June 20, 2005

Why George Went To War

By Russ Baker

The Downing Street Memos still do not answer the question of why the president wanted a war. Fortunately, Bush did that himself.
June 20, 2005

Blog: Pressing The Basement Revolution

By Patrick Doherty

Yesterday's hearing on the Downing Street Memo only achieved half of its potential.
June 17, 2005

Iraq Behind The Script

By Jonahtan Schell

The Iraqi soldiers of Charlie Company reveal the fantasy behind the centerpiece of the Bush administration's Iraq strategy.
June 17, 2005

Not Your Father's Anti-War Movement

By Arianna Huffington

Even as public sentiment turns against the war, most Democratic leaders refuse to take a stand.
June 16, 2005

His Was Not To Wonder Why

By Dante Zappala

The Downing Street Memo revealed that Sherwood Baker died in Iraq defending Bush's public misinformation campaign.
June 15, 2005

Downing Street II

By Ray McGovern

Newly leaked documents reveal the extent of the British cabinet's concern over America 's disrespect for international law.
June 13, 2005

Our Newest Proconsul

By Robert Dreyfuss

Appointing Zalmay Khalilzad as ambassador to Iraq shows just how detached from reality the White House (and the Democrats) are.
June 9, 2005

Bolton The Fixer

By John Prados

Forget the lousy management style. John Bolton was one of the principal architects of Bush's manufactured Iraq intelligence.
June 9, 2005

The Hunting Of The President

By Patrick Doherty

Congress is back in session and there's momentum building behind the Downing Street Memo.
June 6, 2005

Remembrance And Responsibility

By Charles Sheehan-Miles and Erik K. Gustafson

Two Gulf War veterans on how our desire to end the war in Iraq should not overshadow our obligation to Iraqis.
May 30, 2005

Looking War In The Face

By Paul Waldman

This Memorial Day draws attention to Americans who have died in Iraq. It's a wonder the White House hasn't tried to ban it.
May 30, 2005

Blog: The President's Rap Sheet

By Alexandra Walker

A movement is afoot to demand congressional inquiry into whether George W. Bush should be impeached over Iraq.
May 26, 2005

Blog: Woolsey Rocks The House

By Patrick Doherty

Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's amendment requiring Bush to pull the troops out of Iraq just garnered 128 votes, including five Republicans. That's huge.
May 26, 2005

Blog: A Policy Of Partition?

By Patrick Doherty

Listen to Niall Ferguson and Robert Dreyfuss and you'd be tempted to think of a different kind of political strategy for Iraq.
May 25, 2005

A Memo And Two Catechisms

By R obert Dreyfuss

Why are the media practically ignoring the Downing Street memo about Iraq? The Democrats, for one thing.
May 23, 2005

Blog: Better Late Than Never

By Patrick Doherty

The Washington Post finally reports on the earthshaking Downing Street Memo...12 days after it was released.
May 13, 2005

Blog:Bush's Bolton Breach

By Patrick Doherty

The investigation into Bolton 's actions may not stop his confirmation, but could it bring down the president?
May 12, 2005

Bolton's Yellowcake

By Ray McGovern

John Bolton deliberately used discredited intelligence to support the president's case for war.
May 11, 2005

Blog: These Are The Crimes That Try Men's Souls

By Patrick Doherty

Eighty-eight members of Congress have signed a letter asking the president to confirm or deny the Downing Street Memo.
May 9, 2005

Proof Bush Fixed The Facts

By Ray McGovern

Politicization is far too mild a word. The intelligence on Iraq was not mistaken, it was manufactured. This was mass deception. And we have the smoking memo.
May 4, 2005

Iraq: When Was The Die Cast?

By John Prados

The leak of a highly classified memo finally confirms that Bush decided to invade Iraq and to deceive America a year before the invasion.
May 3, 2005

A Fig Leaf Of Legality

By John Prados

A British memo does what American politicians won't: question the president's legal authority to wage war in Iraq.
May 2, 2005

Where Have All The Anti-warriors Gone?

By Todd Gitlin

Thirty years ago, Vietnam war protesters were united by the unequivocal horrors of that war. But in Iraq, there are too many unanswered questions and too much ambivalence to rally the anti-warriors.
May 2, 2005

Broken Chain Of Command

By Perry Jefferies

An Iraq veteran explains how Abu Ghraib was symptomatic of the wide-ranging problems in the invasion and occupation of Iraq.
April 28, 2005

Blog: Measuring Progress In Iraq

By Alexandra Walker

For its symbolic value, the news today couldn't have been choreographed better: Iraq 's transitional government assumes power. Saddam Hussein has a birthday. And it's been one year since "60 Minutes II" aired the Abu Ghraib photos.
April 28, 2005

The Stain of Abu Ghraib

By Reed Brody

One year and 10 investigations later, Human Rights Watch says it is time to prosecute the architects of Abu Ghraib.
April 28, 2005

Iraq's Catch-22

By Robert Dreyfuss

The problem with holding elections under hostile occupation has finally reared its hoary head. Can civil war be avoided?
April 19, 2005

Democracy Without Borders

By Rami G. Khouri

America  's failure in Iraq has pointed Arab thinkers towards international law as much as democracy.
April 13, 2005  

Lessons For Assad

By Rami G. Khouri

Rami Khouri knows Bush is not serious about democracy—and advises his occupier accordingly.
April 6, 2005

Intelligent Manipulation

By John Prados

John Prados on how the president manipulated America. Twice.
April 4, 2005

The Democracy Lie

By Juan Cole

First off: flickers of democracy do not justify war in Iraq. Second: Juan Cole says they have nothing to do with the United States.
March 18, 2005

Mapping The Oil Motive

By Michael T. Klare

If America 's thirst for oil led Bush to Iraq, security expert Michael Klare wonders whether Bush accomplished his mission.
March 18, 2005

The Intelligence Made Them Do It

By Ray McGovern

Ray McGovern debunks the White House's "bad intelligence" excuse for Iraq and warns we may be in for more with Iran.
March 18, 2005

Iraq's Ripple Effects

By Chris Toensing

Middle East analyst Chris Toensing sizes up the fallout on Israel and Iran.
March 18, 2005  

$225 Billion And No Exit Plan

By Erik Leaver

Erik Leaver says it's time we demand a plan to accompany the Iraq spending bill Congress begins debating today.
March 15, 2005

What Now For The Peace Movement?

By Amy Quinn

Amy Quinn of United for Peace and Justice says it's time to mobilize the majority of Americans who want U.S. troops out of Iraq.
March 9, 2005