A Commonwealth Club speech by John Esposito, founding director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, on Americans' perceptions of Muslims after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. ( 04/12/2004)

Private security firms provide a surprising number of the soldiers and body guards in Iraq. They work the same conflict zones as men and women serving in the regular U.S. military and reserves, raising questions of authority and oversight. ( 04/12/2004)

A 20-year-old Marine from Cloquet has become the seventh Minnesota serviceman to die in Iraq, his grandmother said Friday. Levi Angell was killed earlier this week when his Humvee was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, said Lila Angell, also of Cloquet. (04/09/2004)

The U.S. military says 40 American soldiers have died in Iraq this week. More than 460 Iraqis are also reported dead. Most Americans are turning to U.S. media outlets for updates on the escalating hostilities. But many Arab Americans get their news from different sources, preferring the perspective of Arab news organizations. Ahmed Tharwat, an Egyptian-American who hosts Belahdan, a program for the Arab-American community that airs in the Twin Cities on TPT-17, says anyone tuning into the Arab news is getting a very different view of events in Iraq. He talked with MPR's David Molpus (04/08/2004)

Another U.S. Marine has been killed in the Iraqi city of Fallujah. Meantime, Shiite Muslim militias now have at least partial control over three southern Iraqi cities. What should the U.S.-led coalition do to end the violence? ( 04/08/2004)

Flags flew at half-staff at Moose Lake High School on Wednesday for the second Marine from the school to die in Iraq in less than a month, and the second from the state to fall in as many days. (04/07/2004)

Fighting spread throughout Iraq again on Tuesday, most of it inspired by followers of the fiery anti-American cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr. Host Gary Eichten and his guest discuss the current violence in Iraq, and how prepared Iraqis will be to take control of the country on June 30. ( 04/07/2004)

President Bush says he won't change the June 30 deadline for handing over power in Iraq despite increased attacks on Americans and coalition forces and a cleric's call for resistance. ( 04/06/2004)

Minnesotan Tom Maertens worked with former national counterterrorism advisor, Richard Clarke. He says he believes the evidence of weapons of mass destruction was spotty and that it was unnecessary to go to war with Iraq. ( 03/26/2004)

One year ago the U.S. launched its attack on Iraq. Since then hundreds of thousands of troops, including thousands of Minnesotans, have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. (03/19/2004)

A look back at the year since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began. ( 03/19/2004)

Pentagon officials insist the year since the invasion of Iraq has brought many successes, although they're still wary about future terror attacks. A collection of MPR and NPR stories about the start of the war and the developments since. ( 03/19/2004)

The Walker Art Center recently invited several internationally known artists to use a downtown Minneapolis billboard as their canvas. The Walker's yearlong Billboard Project kicked off this week with a sign designed by experimental artist and peace activist Yoko Ono. Ono's message is simple. Imagine Peace. (03/19/2004)

Friday is the one-year anniversary of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Host Gary Eichten talks with NPR foreign correspondent Anne Garrels about her time reporting in Iraq. She is spending some time at her home in Connecticut, and will return to Baghdad in early April. ( 03/18/2004)

A South Dakota family makes the best of life at home while mom serves with the National Guard in Iraq. (03/18/2004)