Politics. On Point.

Approaching the 10-year mark on the war in Iraq we find some harsh words, and discoveries, from those that lived it. As Congressman woman Barbara Lee said this morning on C-SPAN about the war on Iraq (which she opposed), "We bombed the heck out of them". Lee and others now want to begin the healing process of the war-torn nation just as the people and families whose lives have been destroyed by it. The people of Iraq also want to hold the US military accountable for their actions and the destruction of their land, families and nation. Watch this revealing video below as an Iraqi woman talks about the aftermath of the war and havoc it wrecked. The video also contains an interview with a former US soldier, stationed in Iraq, as she shares what her life was like living on the 'enemy' lines. Result of the Iraq war: Birth defects of children. Watch this video as victims of the Iraq war share light on the growing epidemic of babies being born with birth defe...

Our Quote of the Day (QOTD) comes from White House press secretary Jay Carney as he speaks to the press about today's visit between President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki. Said Carney, "This is a momentous visit..." President Obama shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. AP photo. Here's a bit more of Carney at the top of today's briefing in the James Brady briefing room at the White House. As you know, Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki is here to meet with the President.  You will be seeing them both fairly soon.  And if I could just note, this is a momentous visit because, as you know, the Iraq war -- a war that we've been engaged in for 8 and a half years -- is over.  And after eight and a half years of sacrifice, America's war in Iraq is coming to an end.  Since President Obama took office, nearly 150,000 U.S. troops have been removed from Iraq and hundreds of bases have been shut down.  In the next two weeks the ...

President Reaffirms Committment to Bring Troops Home by Year's End (Full text of speech from James Brady Briefing Room)  THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  As a candidate for President, I pledged to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end -- for the sake of our national security and to strengthen American leadership around the world.  After taking office, I announced a new strategy that would end our combat mission in Iraq and remove all of our troops by the end of 2011.      As Commander-in-Chief, ensuring the success of this strategy has been one of my highest national security priorities.  Last year, I announced the end to our combat mission in Iraq.  And to date, we’ve removed more than 100,000 troops.  Iraqis have taken full responsibility for their country’s security. A few hours ago I spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki.  I reaffirmed that the United States keeps its commitments.  He spoke o...

Awards Purple Heart medals During his nearly three hour visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesday, Maryland today, President Obama met with 38 wounded service members – 21 Soldiers, 13 marines, 2 Sailors and 2 Airmen.  (Names not readily identified). OccupyDC protestor in front of Dept of Commerce building last week with message opposing the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Photo/CD Brown. Thirty-five of the service members were injured in Afghanistan and 3 were injured in Iraq.  While at the hospital, the President awarded 4 purple hearts .  Since the war began some ten years ago 46,542 service members have been wounded in connection with Afghan and Iraqi wars. Through last Thursday, the number of wounded by war zone in Afghanistan  is now 14,342.   In Iraq, 31,921 .  In the Middle East (Op. New Dawn), 279,  the Pentagon reports. It is safe to say, yet again, let's end this war....

If you recall the 1980s Arsenio Hall Show, you're probably familiar with his popular show segment titled, 'Things That Make You Go Hmmm', Arsenio's attempt at bringing to light things in society that just don't seem right, or make any sense. We had that moment during today's White House briefing where further discussion - with different answers - had us all saying Hall's catch phrase.  Add in a 'But, I thought you said yesterday that....', and fill in the blanks. What we were told yesterday from John Brennan , Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, on the capture and killing of one Osama Bin Laden as he spoke during a White House press briefing went something like this:  MR. BRENNAN: Bin Laden died; the two al Qaeda facilitators -- the brothers, who were -- the courier and his brother in the compound; bin Laden’s son Hamza; and the woman, presumed to be his wife, who was shielding bin Laden. Q...

" Justice Has Been Done " President Obama initiated the killing (or attack) of Osama bin Laden, giving direct orders to Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, "to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda." Speaking late last evening just outside the White House East Room (interrupting Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice ending) the president vehemently articulated that, "We will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed." Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy U.S. operatives raided an al Qaeda compound located in Abbottabad, Pakistan where bin Laden was said to have been living in a large home on a secured compound in an affluent suburb of Islamabad. President Obama called the event "historic" and reiterated his predecessor's comment that the war against al Queda that started over a decade a...

Photo/CBS. Vice President Joe Biden wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times, published this weekend.   The piece discusses what Congress and the current administration must do to ensure a stabe, self-reliant nation for Iraq. Biden writes that in the six visits he's made the country's police and soldiers have made progress. "Iraq today is far safer and more stable than at any time since the outbreak of war in 2003", writes Biden. "In recent months, using their own intelligence, Iraqi forces have killed or captured dozens of senior leaders of Al Qaeda in Iraq and other terrorist groups. The weekly tally of violent incidents throughout Iraq has dropped to about 160, from nearly 1,600 in 2007." Notwithstanding those accomplishments Biden notes that more needs to be done and calls on Congress to  "fulfill the budget requests to support America’s continued engagement, including our broader diplomatic presence, a modernization plan for the Iraqi s...

Focus: An End of Combat Operations in Iraq Along with the end to the war in Iraq is the old decor of the Oval Office.  President Obama in the Oval Office in 2009. Calling an end to U.S. combat involvement in Iraq, President Obama remarked - from his newly decorated Oval Office - that, ending the war is in the interest of Americans. “Ending this war is not only in Iraq’s interest – it is in our own. Adding that the U.S. has "paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people." New focus. New direction. New Oval Office 2010. “Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country. This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office. Last February, I announced a plan that would bring our combat brigades out of Iraq, while redoubling our efforts to strengthen Iraq’s Secur...

Your Opportunity To Say Thanks On August 31, 2010, President Obama will mark the end of America’s combat mission in Iraq. To celebrate, the President kicks off  'Saluting Service In Iraq' . The White House is encouraging you to sign up and give your remarks via various social networking venues. YouTube : Post a video response to the President's message (seen below) on the White House YouTube channel or tag your video with SaluteTroops. Facebook : There are several ways to salute on facebook, you can update your status, change your profile picture or post your message of thanks on the White House Facebook Page . Twitte r: Use the hashtag #salutetroops in your Twitter message. Flickr : Salute the troops on Flickr with a photo and message by using the tag SaluteTroops. WhiteHouse.gov: Submit messages via a whitehouse.gov online form.   In July, Vice President Biden welcomed home the 2nd Brigade Combat Team from Iraq. When President Obama t...

Facts and Figures on Drawdown in Iraq “Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end.” - President Barack Obama, Camp Lejeune, February 27, 2009. The White House has put out a report today called Facts and Figures on Drawdown in Iraq which reexamines the mission of the Iraq war.  The report comes on the day the president spoke  at a Disabled Veterans of America event in Atlanta today. The report states that w hen President Obama took office in January 2009, there were 144,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. At his Camp Lejeune speech on February 27, 2009, President Obama announced that the United States would end its combat mission on August 31, 2010, and retain a transitional force of up to 50,000 U.S. troops to train and advise Iraqi Security Forces; conduct partnered and targeted counter-terrorism operations; and protect ongoing U.S. civilian and military efforts. By January 2010, there were 112,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. By ...

Recently Leaked Documents Beg The Question: War. What Is It Good For? WikiLeaks has released a document set called the Afghan War Diary, an extraordinary compendium of over 91,000 reports covering the war in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2010. The reports, while written by soldiers and intelligence officers, and mainly describing lethal military actions involving the United States military, also include intelligence information, reports of meetings with political figures, and related details. The document collection is available on a dedicated web page . When White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs was questioned about whether charges could be brought against the person who leaked the documents, Gibbs replied, "There is an ongoing investigation that is looking into the leaking of the classified information. As I’ve said here before, my transmitting one of those documents to you would constitute a violation of federal law, and certainly, as I said earlier, handling t...

Please note this video is NSFW (not safe for work).  Please use discretion while viewing. An anti-war rally is being planned this Saturday (3/20/2010) in front of the White House. The group 'The Answer Coalition' is spearheading this effort. Many political figures, local activists, along with Cindy Sheehan are expected to attend and, or participate. For more info go to answercoalition.org . Also, a new gallery called Images of War by Suzanne Opton is being placed on display at many of our area subway stations to include the Rosslyn, Farragut West, and Metro Center stations. View also http://www.soldiersface.com/ for more. [Photo: The above photo was taken earlier this year just outside the White House by CD Brown for Politics. On Point. This demonstrator was already stating his view on the war. Get out!]