Iraq War Archives

Social Justice

America in the Hands of a Professional Military

Four decades ago, America decided to both maintain a large professional standing military and end the draft. The predictions of those who studied the matter then largely have been borne out -- and not for the better.

Jeff Shear

Environment

Greener Battlefields Would Be Safer for Troops

Allied troops would be much safer if they could cut the petroleum tether, according to a chorus of military leaders and planners.

John Perlin

News in Brief

Plucking Learning From the WikiDeluge

After journalists swept over the trove of WikiLeaked documents from the Afghan war with a broad-toothed comb, historians and social scientists consider what might be of more lasting value there.

Emily Badger

Social Justice

Dead But Not Gone

To paraphrase Stalin, one dead body is a fact; a million dead bodies are a point of contention.

Michael Todd

Environment

Make Solar Light, Not War

It's better to light a single solar-powered streetlight than curse the insurgency.

John Perlin

Economics

Iraq’s Official Death Toll Supports Unofficial Tally

Slow and steady even in tallying the tragic proves its worth.

Michael Todd

Economics

Counting the Dead Freighted with Controversy, Part 2

Death tolls are a political weapon, and good, generally accepted numbers have proved elusive. As a result, methodology gets as much scrutiny as results.

Michael Todd

News in Brief

Humanitarian Missions Await Next President

Harvard professor Samantha Power believes the U.S. can and should reclaim its ability to be a positive force in the world in terms of promoting human rights.

Tom Jacobs