The War in Iraq: Strategy and Politics

Making News

Red Mosque Stand-off in Pakistan Ends with Cleric Dead ()

After an eight-day, anti-government stand-off, Pakistani troops today raided the Red Mosque in Islamabad. Among those found dead was Abdul Rashid Ghazi, the pro-Taliban cleric in charge of the mosque. Najam Sethi is the editor of the Friday Times, published in Lahore.

Guests:

• Najam Sethi: Editor of the Friday Times, @najam_sethi

Links:

• End of the Islamabad siege, Economist on

Main Topic

Pressure Builds to Advance Iraq Timetable ()

President Bush wants to reassure Americans about his strategy in Iraq and stem Republican defections. With the latest Gallup Poll reporting that his approval rating has dropped to a new low of 29%, he's beginning to talk about a draw-down of troops next year, made possible by the "surge," which he says is just beginning to work. Meantime, senior Republicans are talking about a change of strategy in Iraq. Senator John McCain, just back from Iraq, says that progress is being made, even as his own presidential campaign is faltering. We hear about "progress" on the battlefield and politics in Baghdad and Washington.

Guests:

• Peter Baker: White House Correspondent, Washington Post
• Alissa Johannsen Rubin: Baghdad Deputy Bureau Chief, New York Times, @alissanyt
• Eric Egland: Counter-terrorism consultant to the Defense Department
• Wayne White: Policy Expert at the Middle East Policy Council

Links:

• Iraq Study Group
• Baker's article on Bush's shifting message on Iraq
• Rubin’s article on grim predictions on Iraq pullout
• Senator Lugar (R-IN) on need to change course in Iraq
• Senator Voinovich (R-OH) on Iraq
• Senator Domenici (R-NM) on Iraqi government failures, new US military strategy
• Senator Snowe (R-ME) backs withdrawal from Iraq (Bloomberg on)

Reporter's Notebook

Baseball's All Star Game and the So-What Factor ()

Major League Baseball's All-Star game will held tonight in San Francisco, and Barry Bonds of the Giants will be on the field, just four home runs away from Hank Aaron's record. But what about the rivalry that once existed between the National and American Leagues? The All-Star game pits the best from the two leagues against one another in what used to be a heated rivalry. But John Thorn, a leading baseball historian and editor of Total Baseball, says those days are over.

Guests:

• John Thorn: Baseball historian