Council on Foreign Relations

CFR's Max Boot foresees a great deal of future American involvement in Haiti, but only with a strategic justification.

Because Afghanistan's prison system falls well short of international standards, the United States and its allies need to detain prisoners themselves, writes Max Boot.

"The turnaround in the past decade is so dramatic as to be almost unbelievable," write Max Boot and Richard Bennet, commenting on the positive changes in Colombia since it was on the brink of being taken over by insurgents as recently as 2000.

Although President Obama's address at West Point left some important questions unanswered, his decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan changes the equation in favor of the United States, writes Max Boot.

"Despite the headlines about bombings in Baghdad, the situation has improved immeasurably," writes Max Boot, referring to the better security in Iraq on his most recent trip. Nevertheless, he cautions that, "there is no room to be complacent," as there is much work yet to be done.

Although corruption, drug-trafficking and other civil issues are important priorities, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan needs to become more engaged with the war raging around him, writes Max Boot.

Max Boot argues that success in Afghanistan depends on a cohesive counterinsurgency--rather than a counterterrorism--strategy.

Max Boot, CFR senior fellow for national security studies, discusses U.S. strategy in Afghanistan online with Politico readers.

Max Boot says the war effort is succeeding in parts of Afghanistan - with time and troops the gains can be consolidated.

CFR's Daniel Markey and Max Boot call for a sustained U.S. commitment to stabilizing shaky governments in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Following a visit to the AfPak region, CFR Senior Fellows Max Boot and Daniel Markey discuss the prospects for Afghanistan's stability and give their recommendations for U.S. foreign policy in South Asia.

Max Boot writes that "only by sending more personnel, military and civilian, can President Obama improve the Afghan government's performance, reverse the Taliban's gains and prevent Al Qaeda's allies from regaining the ground they lost after 9/11."

"We would all be well advised to handle Vietnam analogies with great care," writes Max Boot arguing against comparing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the Vietnam War.

Max Boot discusses the implications of President Obama's troop strategy in Afghanistan

Max Boot argues that the war is necessary and winnable in Afghanistan.

Max Boot discusses detention policy in Afghanistan.

To defeat piracy in centuries past, governments pursued a more active defense at sea and a political solution on land. The current piracy epidemic off the coast of East Africa requires many of the same tactics.

Max Boot writes in favor of Gen. McChrystal's decision to set up a Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell.

Max Boot reviews Masters and Commanders, by Andrew Roberts.

Max Boot argues, "on the whole, President Obama is formulating sensible, centrist national-security policies."