Palestinians Rally In Support Of Iraqi Shoe Thrower
Inside Story

Bush’s legacy in Iraq

What legacy will the Bush admnistration leave in Iraq, and how will Obama deal with the war?

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Inside Story looks into the short and long-term implications of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq, as the death toll among Iraqi civilians reaches over one million casualties.

Reports suggest that US-sponsored reconstruction of Iraq has barely covered the destruction caused by the invasion. Although the troop surge has been successful in providing a period of relative calm to some extent, how relevant has it been in a country where daily violence and kidnappings persist?

The shoe-throwing attack on Bush might have been an isolated incident, but it also mirrors the general frustrations of Iraqis and Arabs with the Bush administration.

With Bush gone, Iraq is still going to be one of the top priorities for the newly elected president. One of Obama’s stated objectives in Iraq is letting Iraqis assume more responsibility in terms of security and reconstruction funding.

Despite campaign promises of a timely withdrawal, the new US administration will have to carefully consider its options and construct a viable and responsible plan to end the war that Bush started.

Inside Story asks how president-elect Barack Obama and his new administration will deal with Iraq.

This episode of Inside Story aired on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 1730GMT with repeats at 2230GMT and on Wednesday at 0430GMT and 0830GMT.