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Cover Story

Grades 2-3

Five Years of War

On a recent chilly morning, a few shoppers strolled the streets of downtown Baghdad, Iraq's capital. Just a year ago, fear would have kept them home. "Things are improving slightly," says one store owner.

Last January, President George W. Bush told Americans that efforts to make Iraq safe had failed. He ordered an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Iraq. Their mission: Help the 130,000 forces already there.

So far, the President's plan is getting results. But "we still have some work to do," says Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, the Number 2 U.S. commander in Iraq.

Small Steps Forward

Nearly five years ago, the U.S. invaded Iraq. Both Iraqis and Americans have paid a heavy price. At least 3,960 members of the U.S. military have died.

Once the additional troops arrived in Iraq, they got to work. In Baghdad, they moved into bases in the city's most violent neighborhoods. The troops live among the people. The U.S. has also turned to local tribes to rise up against fighters.

On February 13, the Iraqi government passed laws that set the stage for rival groups to share power. Local elections are set for October. "These are important steps forward," says U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker. In Iraq, progress must be measured in small steps.

Next: The U.S. in Iraq