Table of Contents: Mar. 15, 2004

FROM THE EDITOR: TIME begins a two-part series on Iraq, one year later 8

LETTERS 13

NOTEBOOK

The G.O.P.'s election-year scandals; Justice Blackmun's private papers; bomb threats in France 23

MILESTONES: A kidney for Neil Simon; a hospital stay for John Ashcroft 28

IN THE ARENA: Joe Klein on how George W. Bush, the campaigner, is a lot more effective than his presidential persona 31

SPECIAL REPORT

Safety First The main battle line is drawn. Who will make us more secure, Bush or Kerry? 32

WHICH WAY OUT? Amid terrorist carnage and sectarian infighting in Iraq, the U.S. looks for a workable exit strategy 36

WHAT WOULD KERRY DO? In an exclusive interview with TIME, the Democrat offers his nuanced--is it too nuanced?--view of the world 45

WORLD

A New Order As Haiti dissolves into chaos, the U.S. Marines move in to defang the man who ousted Aristide 56

BUSINESS

Guilty Martha Stewart may be headed to prison. How did it come to this? 60

VIEWPOINT: Michael Kinsley on whether financial scandals might be healthy developments 67

SOCIETY

Lost and Found A mother tracks down a child believed dead 69

Getting Bigger The inquiries into steroid use by pro athletes heat up 71

SCIENCE

Spot Check After its successful landing, the Mars rover Opportunity spies an intriguing patch of what could be ancient mud 74

ARTS

The Unbeaten Path With a host of oddball roles on his resume, Johnny Depp has taken a bizarre road to stardom 76

BOOKS: Strange geniuses 79

YOUR TIME

HEALTH: Another risk is linked to long-term estrogen use; McDonald's dumps Super Size fries 93

MONEY: Are "reward" credit cards actually worth it? 94

TECHNOLOGY: Video chatting gets easier; a Philippe Starck clock 96

PEOPLE: Shakira meets with the Nobel prizewinner; Dick Clark walks into an age-discrimination suit 99

ESSAY: Charles Krauthammer on 9/11 and the campaign 100

COVER: Specialist Cody Hoefer in Tikrit, Iraq, on Feb. 23, 2004. Photograph for TIME by Brian Bennett. INSET: Photograph by Julie Jacobson--AP