On paper Iraq's justice system appears sound, but Michael Wahid Hanna of The Century Foundation says "major systemic and structural problems" plague Iraq's legal framework.

Listen to retired lieutenant general Jay M. Garner, former director of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance in Iraq, discuss the situation on the ground in 2003.

Watch retired lieutenant general Jay M. Garner, former director of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance in Iraq, discuss the situation on the ground in 2003.

Official optimism runs high amid improved security and a growing role for Iraqi forces, but analysts caution against premature celebrations.

The situation in Iraq is improving. With the right strategy, the United States will eventually be able to draw down troops without sacrificing stability.

From the September/October 2008 issue of Foreign Affairs: The next U.S. president will face problems that will require strength and a renewed sense of national purpose to solve.

As Afghanistan makes a new pitch to foreign donors, some question whether its government is ready to shoulder a greater share of development.

Rory Stewart, chief executive of the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Kabul, says the international community needs to target resources better in the country.

Listen to CFR International Affairs Fellow Amy B. Frumin discuss issues surrounding post-conflict reconstruction with students as part of CFR's Academic Conference Call Series.

This call is made possible in part by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Daniel Serwer, an Iraq expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace, sees encouraging signs of political compromise among Iraqi politicians.

The Iraq war has confounded and surprised U.S. policymakers over five years, and is expected to remain a challenge for a new administration.

Anthony H. Cordesman, a leading expert on Iraq and Afghanistan security issues, found  the situation in Afghanistan discouraging during a recent visit, but notes military gains in Iraq.

Mohamad Bazzi details the current conditions on the ground in Lebanon.

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, Commander of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, says Iraq’s air force is making strides but will need another two to three years of assistance before it can fly on its own.

Two policy experts discuss potential scenarios that could play out if Kosovo declares independence and the United States honors its national sovereignty.

Turkish ground raids into Iraqi Kurdistan could undermine U.S. military efforts and further fragment Iraq’s federal government.

Since 2000, President Robert Mugabe’s refusal to tolerate challenges to his power has led him to systematically dismantle the workings of Zimbabwe’s economic and political systems, replacing them with structures of corruption, intimidation, and repression. Michelle D. Gavin surveys the current situation in Zimbabwe, identifying current structural and legal impediments to economic and political recovery.

Former CFR President Leslie H. Gelb says the plan to persuade Iraqis to accept a federal form of government is the best way to “maintain harmony among the different Iraqi groups,” although it remains unpopular among many Arabs.