There were two wars going on in Iraq - one was fought with armies of soldiers, bombs and a fearsome military force. The other was fought alongside it with cameras, satellites, armies of journalists and propaganda techniques. One war was rationalized as an effort to find and disarm WMD, Weapons of Mass Destruction; the other was carried out by even more powerful WMD, Weapons of Mass Deception.For those of us watching the coverage, war was more of a spectacle, an around-the-clock global media marathon, pitting media outlets against each other in ways that distorted truth and raised as many questions about the methods of TV news as it did the armed intervention it was covering, and in some cases, promoting. WMD, a 100-minute nonfiction film, explores this story with the findings of a gutsy, media insider-turned-outsider, former network journalist Danny Schechter, who is one of America's most prolific media critics.

Nuclear power generates 20 percent of the electricity used in the United States and 17 percent worldwide. By 2020, experts forecast world energy consumption will have grown by 75 percent. Should nuclear power be tapped to meet this growing demand, especially when we are confronted with the need to reduce greenhouse gases to address the threat of climate change? Or will the proliferation, economic and environmental challenges prove too much to overcome? Please join the Center for American Progress for a panel discussion of these important questions and more as we explore what the future holds for nuclear power.

In cities and towns across America, the Center for American Progress will engage the public in a conversation about religious issues and give voice to people of faith whose hopes and concerns have been lost in highly polarized debates. Faith and Progressive Policy: A National Conversation will begin in Denver, Colorado, where a panel of religious and policy leaders will address the question, Morals and Budgets: What Does it Mean to Love Thy Neighbor? Members of the panel and the audience will discuss the budget as a moral document that reflects our values regarding poverty, health care, education and other issues vital to the community. The conversation will address national issues; state and local issues important to Coloradans, including the Tax-Payer Bill of Rights; and the faith and values imperatives that affect policy decisions. Please join our panel of national and local leaders in a provocative, lively conversation.

In cities and towns across America, the Center for American Progress will engage the public in a conversation about religious issues and give voice to people of faith whose hopes and concerns have been lost in highly polarized debates. Faith and Progressive Policy: A National Conversation will begin in Denver, Colorado, where a panel of religious and policy leaders will address the question, Morals and Budgets: What Does it Mean to Love Thy Neighbor? Members of the panel and the audience will discuss the budget as a moral document that reflects our values regarding poverty, health care, education and other issues vital to the community. The conversation will address national issues; state and local issues important to Coloradans, including the Tax-Payer Bill of Rights; and the faith and values imperatives that affect policy decisions. Please join our panel of national and local leaders in a provocative, lively conversation.

College is becoming less affordable and the education "pipeline" from high school to and through college remains shockingly inefficient, despite the reform efforts of the past several decades. According to one study, for every 100 students who enter ninth grade, only 18 will complete any kind of postsecondary degree within six years of graduating from high school. Hilary Pennington, Vice Chairman and Co-Founder of Jobs for the Future, has proposed the development of three "fast track to college" alternatives to the traditional high school senior year.

As people of faith and goodwill, we are compelled by our moral convictions to address the inequities and biases of the current justice system. Join us March 17, 2005, for a one-day dialogue addressing the ways that religion can elevate how criminal justice reform plays within the national moral debate.

Dr. Morton Halperin defends his recently released book, The Democracy Advantage, which argues democracies develop at least as well as authoritarian regimes. Dr. Halperin and his two co-authors found that democratic nations are superior in quality of life and more stable when measured by factors such as infant mortality and the education of girls. Dr. Carol Lancaster joins the author to argue with his conclusion that the U.S. should only give development assistance to democratic countries.

If the Bush administration's plan for Social Security privatization is the wrong way to enhance retirement security for Americans, what is the right way? At an event on March 18, 2005, a panel of experts on retirement and savings policies discussed the principles that should guide effective retirement savings policies and presented specific ideas for substantially enhancing retirement income security, while strengthening Social Security for the future.

Six weeks after the Iraqi election, the hard work of creating a new democracy has begun. The Center for American Progress has invited Iraqi experts knowledgeable in how the Shia, Sunni and Kurdish populations are approaching the drafting of a new Iraqi constitution. Iraqis will soon need to confront and resolve their competing visions in order to meet the August 15, 2005, constitution deadline. The panelists will address the potential points of contention in the drafting of the Iraqi constitution, the extent to which Sharia law will form the basis of Iraqi law, the amount of autonomy ethnic groups may be granted under the Iraqi constitution, and more.

Today, 45 million Americans lack health insurance. Millions more are struggling to pay premiums that are growing five times faster than wages, but are still seeing their benefits shrink. As a result, some Americans have access to the most sophisticated medical care in the world, while others are left to overcrowded emergency rooms, under-funded clinics, or no health care at all because they lack the insurance it takes to provide for the care they need. These injustices are inconsistent with Americans' respect for human dignity and commitment to opportunity for all. Unlocking our health care system's potential for everyone in America is the great moral challenge of our time.

Last fall, an invitation to director Michael Moore to visit Utah Valley State College caused so much controversy that a young filmmaker decided to capture the moment. This Divided State, directed by former Brigham Young University student Steven Greenstreet, shows what happened: an intense free speech debate, cash bribes, threats of violence, a Michael Moore look-alike, even a competing appearance by TV pundit Sean Hannity.

An expansive view of federal power to regulate in many areas, not just environmentally, has come under fire from litigants, some judges, and even the Supreme Court. At the same time, states are increasingly trying to take on more environmental responsibilities, but are also being blocked by court rulings that, ironically, say that states are impinging on federal prerogatives. Faced with this challenge on two fronts, what is the future of environmental and community protections, whether they originate in Washington or in the states?

U.S. troops are stationed abroad in Afghanistan and Iraq with no end in sight. The National Guard and Reserve are missing their recruiting targets. If the U.S. military continues to be deployed at its current pace, the all-volunteer force will break down and some kind of conscription will become necessary. What can be done to avoid this fate? Or is mandatory national service with a military option actually the answer? The Washington Monthly has recently published an article titled "The Case for the Draft," arguing that the time when we could rely on an all-volunteer force has come to an end.