The document summarizes the events of September 11th terrorist attacks and the resulting War on Terror and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It describes how the 9/11 attacks sparked the war in the Middle East and led to the invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. While the goal was to overthrow dictatorships and promote democracy, establishing stable democracies proved difficult. There is debate around how long military forces should remain occupied in countries like Iraq and when is the right time to withdraw troops.

6. Page last updated 10/14/08 6:08 pm EDT

8. Total Outlays (Federal Funds): $2,650 billion MILITARY: 54% and $1,449 billion NON-MILITARY: 46% and $1,210 billion