4,500 Americans perished in almost nine years of war, on top of the $800 billion in taxpayer money spent. But the number of Iraqis that were killed is more than 100,000, which is a conservative estimate. “We are glad to see the last U.S. soldier leaving the country today," Said Hassan, a 25-year-old Baghdad shop owner said. "But the most important thing now is the future of Iraq. The Americans have left behind them a country that is falling apart and an Iraqi army and security forces that have a long way ahead to be able to defend the nation and the people.” more ›

Two Reuters reporters who traveled with President Bush on the morning of September 11, 2001 recall their experience of watching their leader reel from the most indelible event of the past decade. One, Arshad Mohammed, shouted a question to Bush as he was reading My Pet Goat to students in a Florida classroom: "Mr. President, are you aware of the reports of a plane crash in New York?" more ›

What does "The War on Terror" mean? Is it the legal authority granted to the president by Congress to use all "necessary and appropriate force" against the people, countries or organizations that "planned, authorized, committed or aided" the September 11 attacks? Is it taking your shoes off at airport security, or seeing something and saying something? Is it what 7,497 coalition members and hundreds of thousands of civilians died for in the Middle East? This, rather than "It's time to end the War on Terror," was the main topic of debate Wednesday night at NYU's Skirball center, much to the audience's befuddlement. more ›

Lawmakers in Albany sent Governor Cuomo a letter on Monday imploring him to cease participation in a controversial immigration enforcement program, the Times reports. Run by the Department of Homeland Security, the Orwellian-sounding Secure Communities was implemented under President Bush in 2008, and checks the "fingerprints of everyone arrested and booked…against Department of Homeland Security immigration records," so illegal immigrants convicted of a crime are swiftly deported. more ›

Sure, President George W. Bush declined President Barack Obama's invite to go to Ground Zero today, because Bush wants to stay "out of the spotlight." But one "highly-placed" source tells the Daily News that W. feels annoyed and he "[views] this as an Obama victory lap." Like Bush has never done that? more ›

President George W. Bush has reportedly declined an offer made by his successor to join him in visiting Ground Zero on Thursday to commemorate the death of Osama Bin Laden with family members of those who were slain there on 9/11. NBC reports that while Bush plans on traveling to Ground Zero for the 10th anniversary of the attacks in September, the former president will not attend Thursday and his camp offered no comment as to why. more ›

This week, forty-one Republican Senators cruelly voted against the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which would have provided $7.4 billion in health care and compensation to 9/11 responders and their survivors. Democrats were furious, but you know who else was outraged by it? Mayor of 9/11 Town, Rudy Giuliani, who called the vote "a very big mistake." We were just starting to feel proud of our former Mayor, until he said this: "Any time you treat Sept. 11 as a political issue, which is what they are doing...I think is just wrong. That's the wrong thing to do." True, it is wrong. And you've never done that, right? more ›

President George W. Bush's former chief speechwriter and policy adviser tells Politico that President Obama was right to support the proposed mosque and Muslim community center project located two blocks from the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan. Michael Gerson said, "An enormously complex and emotional issue -- but ultimately the right thing to do. A president is president for every citizen, including every Muslim citizen. Obama is correct that the way to marginalize radicalism is to respect the best traditions of Islam and protect the religious liberty of Muslim Americans. It is radicals who imagine an American war on Islam. But our conflict is with the radicals alone." more ›

Former Bush senior adviser Karl Rove is settling plenty of scores in his new book, Courage and Consequences—and former Secretary of State Colin Powell is one of his targets. ABC News reports that Rove used his brute upper body power to get back at the general in 2004—by way of doing twenty push-ups. more ›

The report says, "The failure to finish the job represents a lost opportunity that forever altered the course of the conflict in Afghanistan and the future of international terrorism." According to the NY Times, "The committee report, prepared at the request of Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the committee’s Democratic chairman, concludes unequivocally that in mid-December 2001, Mr. bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, were at the cave complex, where Mr. bin Laden had operated previously during the fight against Soviet forces. The new report suggests that a larger troop commitment to Afghanistan might have resulted in the demise not only of Mr. bin Laden and his deputy but also of Mullah Muhammad Omar, the leader of the Afghan Taliban. Mullah Omar, who also fled to Pakistan in 2001, has overseen the resurgence of the Taliban." more ›

The Iraqi journalist who threw both of his shoes at President George W. Bush last December received a reduced sentence from Iraq's highest court yesterday. Mutandhar al-Zeidi was sentenced to three years in prison last month, but now a court spokesman said he will face one year, "he's still young and doesn't have any previous convictions." Plus he could be free in five months with good behavior, according to the Daily News. al-Zeidi's family and lawyer are happy with the decision; al-Zeidi had explained the incident as a reaction to Bush's smiling and joking as "a whole people are saddened because of his policy... I was blind to anything else. I felt the blood of the innocent people bleeding from beneath his feet and he was smiling in that way... So I reacted to this feeling by throwing my shoes." more ›

In a Baghdad courtroom, Iraqi reporter Muntadar al-Zaidi testified about what led him to toss his shoes at former President Bush during a press conference late last year. To sum it up, he was irritated by Bush's jokey manner: Zaidi said, "While he was talking I was looking at all his achievements in my mind. More than a million killed, the destruction and humiliation of mosques, violations against Iraqi women, attacking Iraqis every day and every hour. A whole people are saddened because of his policy, and he was talking with a smile on his face …and he was joking with the prime minister and saying he was going to have dinner with him after the press conference... I was blind to anything else. I felt the blood of the innocent people bleeding from beneath his feet and he was smiling in that way... So I reacted to this feeling by throwing my shoes. I couldn't stop the reaction inside me…. It was spontaneous." Zaidi faces up to two years in prison. more ›

The shoe-ing that former President Bush received during a trip to Iraq has inspired an Iraqi artist to create a large "sofa-sized" copper and fiberglass shoe statue. The shoe also seems to double as a planter, given the greenery inside it. The Post reports, "Baghdad-based artist Laith al-Amari described [it] as a homage to the pride of the Iraqi people. The statue also has inscribed a poem honoring Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his footwear at Bush." The statue was unveiled in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit. al-Zeidi is reportedly seeking asylum in Switzerland and is interested in becoming a journalist for the United Nations. more ›

Though somewhat overshadowed by the U.S. Airways Flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson River, President Bush gave his farewell address to the American public last night. He said, "Like all who have held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks. There are things I would do differently if given the chance. Yet I've always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right. You may not agree with some of the tough decisions I have made. But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions." more ›

Today, President George W. Bush gave his final press conference as his administration winds down. It was a way for him to thank the White House press corps as well as yet another of his "exit interviews." Bush admitted some mistakes—"Clearly putting a'Mission Accomplished' (banner) on an aircraft carrier was a mistake. It sent the wrong message"—while defending himself on other matters, such as Hurricane Katrina and whether America's stature in the world fell during his presidency:

I've thought long and hard about Katrina -- you know, could I have done something differently, like land Air Force One either in New Orleans or Baton Rouge. The problem with that and -- is that law enforcement would have been pulled away from the mission. And then your questions, I suspect, would have been, how could you possibly have flown Air Force One into Baton Rouge, and police officers that were needed to expedite traffic out of New Orleans were taken off the task to look after you? more ›

No, it wasn't a gathering to mourn the recent death of the First Cat, but rather just a meeting of the minds when the four living presidents were invited to lunch by the president to be. President Bush said he was happy to give a holler to former Presidents Clinton, Carter and Bush 41 (his father). It was the first time all of the living presidents had gathered at the White House since the funeral of assassinated Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat in 1981. more ›

First Lady Laura Bush spoke to Fox News's Chris Wallace and she wasn't very happy with the shoe-y reception her husband got on his surprise trip to Iraq two weeks ago. Wallace said though many Americans thought it was a joke, the First Lady didn't, which she confirmed, "Of course I wasn't amused. It was an assault. And that's what it is. And it would be an assault to anyone for -- if anybody had been there. And the president laughed it off. He wasn't hurt. He's very quick. As you know, he's a natural athlete. And that's it. But on the other hand, it is an assault, and I think it should be treated that way." She said whatever happens to the Iraqi reporter who threw the shoes is up to the Iraqis, "But I know that if Saddam Hussein had been there, the man wouldn't have been released. And he probably wouldn't -- you know, would have been executed. So it is -- as bad as the incident is, in my view, it is a sign that Iraqis feel a lot freer to express themselves." more ›

After President Bush's reversal of a Brooklyn developer's pardon, the White House said President Bush was unaware the father of the developer, Isaac Toussie, had donated money ot the Republican party. Yet the President did meet Toussie's father, Robert, who is also a developer, earlier this year and the Daily News published a photograph of the two, adding, "It was not immediately clear if the picture was snapped before or after Robert Toussie's $28,500 donation to the Republican National Committee in April." And it's not just the Republicans who have benefited from Robert Toussie's largesse: He's donated to Rep. Anthony Weiner, City Comptroller Bill Thompson, and other elected officials. Toussie and his son face lawsuits, accusing them of using deceptive tactics to sell shoddy homes to homebuyers (many of them minorities). more ›

Some more spinning from the White House after President Bush pardoned a Brooklyn developer—and then rescinded the pardon the next day. White House spokesman Tony Fratto told Newsday that the President "followed the process" when he first granted the parson to Isaac Toussie but decided to reverse the decision after finding out Toussie's father made contributions to the Republican party and politicians, "It [the contributions] had the potential to create at least the appearance of impropriety." more ›

It was a Christmas Eve embarrassment! The White House had to announce that President Bush's previously announced pardon of Brooklyn developer Isaac Toussie would no longer be happening. Funnily enough, the announcement came after it was reported how Toussie's father donated tens of thousands to the Republican party and Republican politicians. Coincidence—or Christmas miracle? One homebuyer who says she was scammed by Toussie said to Newsday, "There is a Santa Claus after all. I couldn't have wished for a better present." more ›

to execute the pardon! Earlier today, Daily News reported Toussie's father "donated $28,500 to the Republican Part this year." And there's a federal lawsuit against Toussie from homebuyers who were apparently duped into buying overpriced, defective homes in bad areas from him, after he used deceptive tactics. Some had given comments like, "The politically connected get what they want, and little people like us are just left to sink or swim. Thanks to the President for the worst Christmas gift you could have ever given us," and "I think Bush stinks anyway," but maybe they'll slightly change their tune now. more ›

President Bush just announced loans to the GM and Chrysler totaling $17.4 billion: $13.4 billion now and $4 billion in February, if they, according to Times, "undertak[e] sweeping reorganizations to show that they can return to profitability." The money will come from the TARP bailout. more ›

Naturally the double shoe-throwing attack that put President Bush under siege during a press conference in Iraq is a gold mine for the tabloids. The Daily News explains that when Muntather al-Zaidi threw the first shoe, he yelled, "This is a gift from the Iraqis. This is the farewell kiss, you dog!" And, casting the second shoe, Zaidi said, "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." more ›

While the White House signaled it would be ready to step in and help the auto industry after the Senate failed to pass a $14 billion bailout package for the Big Three, President Bush told reporters, "We're not quite ready to announce that yet." And when asked he would use money from the TARP (the earlier $700 billion financial industry) bailout, he added, "I signaled that that's a possibility." Stock futures are, according to CNBC, "uncertain...amid a dismal manufacturing report and" auto bailout anxiety. Still, lawmakers believe there will be relief for Detroit; Sen. Bob Corker says the Treasury Dept. was talking to automakers over the weekend. more ›

In the twilight of his presidency, President Bush made a surprise trip to Iraq today--and he had to deal with a journalist who threw shoes at him. Seriously. During a press conference of Iraqi Prime Minister Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Al Baghadadia reporter Muntadar al-Zaidi, seated 12 feet away, threw both his shoes--one right after the other--at President Bush while yelling "This is the end!" See the video: more ›

With the Senate's failure to pass the $14 billion auto industry bailout bill, world stock markets fell: Asian markets fell over 5% and European markets are down more than 3%. Futures suggest that Wall Street will open lower as well, also due to news from JPMorgan Chase (it had a "terrible" November and December) and Bank of America (cutting 35,000 jobs over three years). more ›

President Bush gave his first "exit interview" to ABC Word News' Charles Gibson, and among the revelations: He was "unprepared" for the 9/11 attacks and regretted the WMD intelligence that led him to the Iraq War. He said, "I think was unprepared for war. In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack.' In other words, I didn't anticipate war. Presidents-- one of the things about the modern presidency is that the unexpected will happen." Bush does believe that 9/11 brought the country together, though. more ›

As his successor unveil his economic team, President Bush, alongside Treasury Secretary Henry Pauslon, spoke to reporters about the Citigroup bailout. Bush said the bailout, which he approved last night while flying back from his APEC meeting, was needed to "safeguard the financial system." He added, "We have made these kind of decisions in the past. We made one last night. And if need be we will make these kind of decisions to safeguard our financial system in the future." The White House deputy press secretary Dana Fratto later said, "We would never foreshadow any specific actions involving private firms, but I think it’s safe to say ... that we take threats to our financial system seriously and we stand ready to take any steps necessary to prevent systemic events in our economy." more ›