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• Ten years ago: American-led forces in Iraq dropped thousand-pound bombs on Republican Guard units guarding the gates to Baghdad and battled for control of the strategic city of Nasiriyah (nah-sih-REE'-uh). President George W. Bush warned of "further sacrifice" ahead in the face of unexpectedly fierce fighting. Japan launched its first spy satellites to monitor communist neighbor North Korea's missile development and suspected nuclear weapons programs.
• Five years ago: President George W. Bush declared that Iraq was standing at a defining moment as it struggled to put down heavily armed Shiite militias in new flare-ups of violence. Cuba made it legal for its citizens to own cell phones in their own names.
• One year ago: The U.S. Supreme Court wrapped up three days of public arguments on President Barack Obama's historic health care law. On the last day of his visit, Pope Benedict XVI demanded more freedom for the Roman Catholic Church in communist-run Cuba and preached against "fanaticism" in an unusually political sermon before hundreds of thousands at Revolution Plaza. Bluegrass legend and banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs, 88, died in Nashville, Tennessee.
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• Today's Birthdays: Former White House national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski (ZBIG'-nyef breh-ZHIN'-skee) is 85. Country musician Charlie McCoy is 72. Movie director Mike Newell is 71. Actress Conchata Ferrell is 70. Actor Ken Howard is 69. Actress Dianne Wiest (weest) is 65. Country singer Reba McEntire is 58. Olympic gold medal gymnast Bart Conner is 55. Rapper Salt (Salt-N-Pepa) is 47. Actress Tracey Needham is 46. Actor Max Perlich is 45. Movie director Brett Ratner is 44. Country singer Rodney Atkins is 44. Actor Vince Vaughn is 43. Rapper Mr. Cheeks (Lost Boyz) is 42. Actor Ken L. is 40. Rock musician Dave Keuning is 37. Actress Annie Wersching is 36. Actress Julia Stiles is 32. Singer Lady Gaga is 27.
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• Thought for Today: "A man can do his best only by confidently seeking (and perpetually missing) an unattainable perfection." - Ralph Barton Perry, American author and educator (1876-1957).
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