September 11 Anniversary

For almost a decade, this has been a day of solemn remembrance, private memories and shared sorrow for the relatives who gather to honour the nearly 3,000 people killed by al-Qaeda terrorists (???) on that dreadful day in 2001. (from America's agony: September 11 anniversary marked by anger and controversy)

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Very few people in Afghanistan have been unaffected by the armed conflict there. Those with direct personal experience make up 60% of the population, and most others also report suffering a range of serious hardships. In total, almost everyone (96%) has been affected in some way – either personally or due to the wider consequences of armed conflict. (from War in Afghanistan)

Opium production in Afghanistan has been on the rise since the downfall of the Taliban in 2001. Based on UNODC data, there has been more opium poppy cultivation in each of the past four growing seasons (2004–2007) than in any one year during Taliban rule. Also, more land is now used for opium in Afghanistan than for coca cultivation in Latin America. In 2007, 93% of the opiates on the world market originated in Afghanistan (from Opium production in Afghanistan)
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In December 2007, the Iraqi government reported that there were 5 million orphans in Iraq – nearly half of the country's children.

Some 60–70% of Iraqi children are suffering from psychological problems. (from Iraq War)

President Bush's Cabinet agreed in April 2001 that "Iraq remains a destabilizing influence to the flow of OIL to international markets from the Middle East' and because this is an unacceptable risk to the US 'military intervention' is necessary." (from  Official: US Oil at the Heart of Iraq Crisis)