This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

The Plan to End the Iraq War

It has been two and a half years since the United States invaded Iraq. Now many Americans are wondering when the troops will come home.

Last Wednesday, President Bush presented his plan for getting our country's 160,000 troops out of Iraq. He unveiled a 35-page report that outlines his exit strategy. "Our goal is to train enough Iraqi forces so they can carry the fight. And this will take time and patience," Bush said at the U.S Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland.

But some lawmakers are calling for a different plan to get troops home even more quickly. "Clearly, the President fails to understand that a new course is needed in Iraq," said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. "The President has dug us into a deep hole in Iraq; it is time for him to stop digging."

President Bush's newly outlined plan does not include an exact timetable of when troops will leave Iraq, but he urges Americans to be patient. "We will stay as long as necessary to complete the mission," he said. "If our military leaders there say we need more troops, I will send them."

Bush is scheduled to give several more speeches, detailing his plans for the troops, before the December 15 election. That day, Iraqis will vote for a permanent national assembly.

Next: Cold Moon, Cool Asteroid