Table of Contents

PERSON OF THE YEAR

The American Soldier U.S. fighters swept across Iraq and conquered it in 21 days. They stand guard on streets potholed with skepticism and rancor. They caught Saddam Hussein. They are the face of America, its might and goodwill, in a region unused to democracy. Essay by Nancy Gibbs 32

PHOTO ESSAY

SNAPSHOTS OF A SOLDIER'S LIFE: Photographer James Nachtwey kept watch with U.S. soldiers as they grilled suspects, returned fire, grabbed a smoke, e-mailed home 42

ONE PLATOON'S STORY

ON ALERT: Romesh Ratnesar and Michael Weisskopf ride with the Tomb Raiders. Tragedy lurks in the shadows 58

WARRIOR IN CHIEF

DONALD RUMSFELD: Michael Duffy and Mark Thompson report on the sharp-elbowed man who made the invasion work but still has a job to finish 82

BRING BACK THE DRAFT? Six policymakers' pros and cons on a conscripted Army 101

BACK-PAX AMERICANA: Historian John Keegan on the soldier as U.S. ambassador 104

PEOPLE WHO MATTERED

The Yearmakers The soldier who got rescued. The PM who caught flak. The body builder who took California. The dictator who did have weapons of mass destruction. The newsman of the year. And others who made 2003 so memorable 108

YEAR-END MILESTONES

A Last Farewell To Madame Chiang Kai-shek and Idi Amin, Dr. Atkins and Mr. Rogers, Carney, Cash, Kazan and Kate 138

ARTS

What Mass Culture? Niche entertainment took over in 2003 as the mainstream rapidly got marginalized 148

FROM THE EDITOR: Why 2003 is the Year of the Soldier 8

LETTERS 9 NOTEBOOK: Did Saddam put up a fight?; why Libya is cooperating 15 MILESTONES 22 IN THE ARENA: Joe Klein on Bush's post-Saddam plans 29

YOUR TIME

MONEY: How to get back into stocks without getting clobbered; documenting your last-minute charitable donations 161

HEALTH: An obesity drug for teens; plan b emergency contraception; a kinder, gentler tonsillectomy 162

TECHNOLOGY: Cell-phone ring tones; the first federal spam bill; a digital camera that swivels 164

PEOPLE: BAGHDAD BOB, ROCCO DISPIRITO AND JAYSON BLAIR ALL HAD THEIR 15 MINUTES OF FAME 167

ESSAY: Andrew Sullivan on the year of living erroneously 168

COVER: Photograph for TIME by James Nachtwey--VII. From left, Sergeant Marquette Whiteside, Specialist Billie Grimes and Sergeant Ronald Buxton, in Baghdad on Dec. 10, 2003