What is the real history of the debt and is there a way to compare debt 10 years ago in today's numbers (compensating for inflation, the economy (boon versus depression)?

What have been the key factors in the debt and how much as the War in Iraq and Afghanistan impacted the debt,

I'm looking for a non-partisan (I don't want rightwing PR spin) authority to talk on my radio show one morning next week (Chicago, 8-9:30 am Central, www.RadioChicagoland.com, WJJG 1530 AM radio) ... and maybe for a column in the Southwest News-Herald newspaper

thanks