On Tuesday night, President Obama declared combat operations in Iraq to be completed and that Iraq was officially was now in charge of its security and its future.  But how much combat will our remaining troops still see?  Why might the timing of this decision be more political than strategic?  And what was obviously missing from the speech that indicates how the Obama administration approaches the ongoing threat posed by Islamic extremists?  We ask retired USMC Gen. Geoffrey Higginbotham.

 

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Retired U.S. Army Lt. General Jerry Boykin describes what U.S. troops have accomplished in Iraq, what military leaders learned and what key mistakes were made.  Above all, he explain just how amazingly the men and women of our military have performed over the past seven-plus years.

 

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As combat operations in Iraq come to an official close today, just how stable are conditions there thanks to our troops and their incredible work?  Are Iraqis ready to take over?  And what does Iraq veteran Pete Hegseth think about at such a major milestone?  We ask Hegseth, who is executive director of Vets for Freedom.

 

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President Obama will address the nation this evening to declare the end of combat operations in Iraq and a transfer of control to the Iraqi government.  So what should be the Obama strategy in Iraq moving forward?  Should all troops be out by the end of next year or will Obama let conditions on the ground be his guide?  Does he need to acknowledge the surge he opposed was the right thing to do?  And what should he say about the fight in Afghanistan?  We ask Georgia Rep. Tom Price, chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

 

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President Obama made another push for his small business agenda on Monday, blaming Senate Republicans for blocking the legislation.  So why are Republicans so opposed to the Obama plan?  What will be their economic program if voters return them to a majority?  And what are voters saying they want from Washington when it comes to jobs?  We ask Ohio Rep. Bob Latta.

 

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This week, the Obama administration will host a Middle East summit.  But how can any progress be made when two different groups control parts of the areas designated for a Palestinian state and those groups are at war with one another?  What are the major difference between Hamas and Fatah?  What can reasonably be expected this week?  And what will the Obama team be hoping to achieve?  We ask Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and author of “Hamas vs. Fatah”.

 

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Glenn Beck drew a large crowd to the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday to deliver an address on what he called restoring honor and turning again to God, who gave us our freedoms.  Were there obvious political overtones to a seemingly nonpolitical event?  What is the real story concerning Christianity and the founding of our nation?  And what should we make of a Mormon delivering a call for a Christian revival?  We ask Robert Knight of the American Civil Rights Union and Coral Ridge Ministries.

 

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A former colleague of Martin Luther King has labeled the Tea Party as racist for using the date and site of King’s ‘I Have A Dream” speech to hold a rally for its goals and demands for our government.  So is there a streak of racism within the Tea Party?  Can anyone prove they’re not a racist?  And how are the media taking sides in this story?  We talk with Bob Parks, a member of the Project 21 Black Leadership Council and video producer at the Media Research Center.

 

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A major rally of conservatives and Tea Party participants are coming to Washington this weekend for an event headlined by Glenn Beck.  But as the Tea Party grows in power and influence, the Capitol Steps poke some fun at the most vocal elements.  Our guest is Steps star Elaina Newport.

 

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President Obama has set the vision for a world free of nuclear weapons.  But, former Pentagon official Frank Gaffney warns the Obama strategy seems to be to dismantle our own nuclear arsenal while no other nation follows suit.  Why does Gaffney see the updated START treaty with Russia as a troubling step towards unilateral disarmament?  Why is the U.S. nuclear stockpile on the brink of elimination even without the reductions contained within the treaty?  Why does Gaffney believe Iran has a more modern and productive nuclear program than we do?  And what would it take to maintain a nuclear program that serves as an effective deterrent?  We discuss it all with Frank Gaffney, who is now president of the Center for Security Policy.

 

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