Fix Iraq to Fix the Region

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»

National security team shows transition from candidate to leader

(NEWSER) - Yesterday's unveiling of Barack Obama's national security team did more than just end the rancor between him and Hillary Clinton; it established Obama as leader of a broad coalition that may transform his own views on American power. As Peter Baker writes for the New York Times, Obama's partnership with Clinton, whose diplomatic judgment he once mocked, and Robert Gates, who is running a war he denounced as "dumb", signals his conversion from candidate to leader. More»

Each delivers 'news' to the other about al-Qaeda presence

(NEWSER) - John McCain and Barack Obama traded sharp words today, as the two presidential frontrunners bludgeoned each other over the Iraq war. McCain dug into Obama for saying, in the debate last night, that he wouldn't hesitate to act if al-Qaeda established bases in Iraq for targeting the US, Reuters reports. "I have some news," McCain told a Texas crowd. "Al-Qaeda is in Iraq. It's called Al-Qaeda in Iraq." More»

Pundits underwhelmed by 'grim' war-end speech

(NEWSER) - The verdicts are in on President Obama's Oval Office address to mark the end of major US combat operations in Iraq, and he apparently didn't please many people.

• The president just wasn't entertaining enough for Bill O'Reilly. The president seemed like a "boring professor," the O'Reilly Factor host complained, criticizing even the way Obama held his hands. "You can’t get him on substance, so you go over his style," guest Alan Colmes retorted.

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.