A Northome man who grew up wanting to be a soldier, as his grandfather was, became the third Minnesotan killed in Iraq. (11/19/2003)

On Oct. 28, Ahmad Shawakat, the subject of the documentary <i>Ahmad's War: Inside Out</i> was killed in Iraq. Shawkat had returned home from exile to Mosul after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. In March, 2003, Senior radio Correspondent Michael Goldfarb traveled to Northern Iraq, where he met Shawkat. ( 11/18/2003)

Richard Boucher, department spokesman and assistant secretary at the U.S. Dept. of State's Bureau of Public Affairs, spoke recently to a public audience in St. Paul. He answered questions about the U.S.-led war in Iraq, Iraqi reconstruction, and nuclear arsenals in the U.S. and abroad. The event was co-sponsered by the Minnesota International Center, and The American Foreign Service Association of the Upper Midwest, and the St. Paul-Minneapolis Committee of Foreign Affairs. ( 11/17/2003)

The U.S. is attempting to crack down on Iraqi insurgents following a bombing that has killed 31 at an Italian military base in Nasiriyah. Meanwhile, the Bush administration indicates it wants to speed up the process for transfer of the government to Iraqi control. ( 11/14/2003)

In this special edition of Justice Talking, part of the &quot;Whose Democracy Is It?&quot; series, we hear a debate on the &quot;shoulds&quot; and &quot;coulds&quot; of nation-building and what it takes to bring democracy to foreign lands. Can America's values be shared by other countries and interpreted within their own traditions, while much of the world harbors dark suspicions about America's imperial aims? ( 11/07/2003)

Congresswoman Betty McCollum recently returned from a three-day fact-finding trip to Iraq, amidst a wave of violence in Baghdad. McCollum says there is an opportunity for democracy, stability and economic prosperity for Iraq. She says military leaders report some successes, but she says they tell her sometimes it feels like two steps forward and one step back. We talk with her about her trip. ( 10/30/2003)

President Bush defended continuing occupation of Iraq, saying recent attacks haven't deterred the U.S. from trying to establish a democracy there. He said he believes attacks are coming from foreign sources as well as from the remnants of Saddam Hussein's support. ( 10/29/2003)

Rep. Betty McCollum, DFL-Minn., has returned from a trip to Iraq. During her visit, a wave of coordinated attacks took place, some targeting the Red Cross headquarters in Baghdad, killing more than 35 people. She also visited Mosul, in northern Iraq, where she and other members of her delegation with the House International Relations committee met with members of the 101st Airborne Division. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with McCollum. (10/29/2003)

President Bush blamed both loyalists to Saddam Hussein and foreign terrorists for the recent rash of devastating attacks in and around Baghdad. &quot;Basically what they're trying to do is cause people to run...That's what terrorists do,&quot; Bush told a Rose Garden news conference Tuesday. (10/28/2003)

A Sioux Falls man says U.S. troops in Iraq should prepare to leave. Ali Sahli was born and raised in the Iraqi oil city of Kirkuk. He was mayor of that city 30 years ago, and now, he's returning to help set up a new government. He says it's time for Iraqis to take control of their own country. (10/20/2003)

Minnesota's 2nd district Republican Congressman John Kline returned from a trip to to the Middle East and Iraq Wednesday. We talk with him about what he saw, and which direction he thinks the U.S. should go to stabilize peace in the region. ( 10/16/2003)

We hear excerpts from NPR foreign reporter Anne Garrels' audio book, <i>Naked in Baghdad</i>. The book journals her experiences before, during, and after her time in Iraq covering the Iraq war. ( 10/15/2003)

Excerpts from Anne Garrels' audio book, <i>Naked in Baghdad: The Iraq War as Seen by National Public Radio's Correspondent</i>. ( 10/15/2003)

A U.S. military program to give combat troops a few days of home leave sounded like a good thing to some Minnesota families - until they got to the part where the soldiers have to pay part of their airfare. The program was begun after a Florida congressman complained that some troops were being unfairly deployed longer than others. Any service member with a 12-month tour in Iraq and neighboring countries can qualify for up to 15 days of leave. We discuss how troops deployed overseas are doing, and when they could return home. ( 09/30/2003)

National Public Radio foreign reporter Anne Garrels spoke Wednesday as part of Minnesota Public Radio's Broadcast Journalist Series. We hear her speech, given at Macalester College. ( 09/26/2003)