DC Shrugs Off 'Miracle' in Iraq

Obama plays down Iraqi limits on US forces as 'differences in strategy'

(NEWSER) - President Obama met with Nouri al-Maliki today and vowed to keep to his timetable that has all US forces out of Iraq by 2011, the Washington Post reports. The Iraqi prime minister said that his country’s security forces are now “highly capable” of handling the threat posed by insurgents—what Iraq needs now, Maliki said, is economic aid and foreign investment. More»

President promises US will still have 'strong presence'

(NEWSER) - As the last 6,000 American troops prepare to leave Iraq by Dec. 31, President Obama today heralded the end of the divisive war—but issued a warning to the country's neighbors: The US will continue to have a "strong presence in the Middle East." He added, in a speech made after meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki this morning, that "the United States will never waiver in the defense of our allies, our partners, and our interests." More»

Iraqi officials worry longer US presence could spur sectarian violence

(NEWSER) - The US and Iraq have been discussing the possibility of leaving 10,000 US troops in Iraq after the planned withdrawal date, insiders tell the Wall Street Journal . But Iraqi leaders worry that the move could strain sectarian relations and prompt protests echoing others in the Arab world. US leaders, meanwhile, hope that such a force would maintain stability and help minimize any threat from Iran, a concern shared by Israel and Saudi Arabia. More»

Chief executive runs a 'secular-socialist machine' from White House

(NEWSER) - Newt Gingrich is defending—and, in fact, repeating—his assertion that President Obama is "the most radical president in American history." Only those in the "cultural elite" could possibly view his administration as moderate, he writes in the Washington Post . It is a "secular-socialist machine," and he dissects each word to prove his point. More»

The Dow is up more than 2,600 points, at least

(NEWSER) - President Obama is about to celebrate—maybe that's not the right term—one year in office, and the AP takes a look at some numbers that have defined his inaugural turn around the sun.

• The Dow: Perhaps the only clear victory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen from 7,949.09 on Jan. 20, 2009, to close at 10,609.65 on Friday.
• Unemployment: 13 million adults were out of work when Obama took office. That number is now 14.7 million.