Ray Takeyh argues that many critics of the Afghanistan war are wrong to compare it to Vietnam and that such comparisons are "absolutely toxic," in the way that they are limiting progress in Afghanistan.

Prompted by the "complete failure" of the President's Israel strategy, Elliot Abrams asks, "can anything else possibly go wrong for the Obama administration's Middle East policy?"

Leslie Gelb writes that the U.S. military's request to increase troops in Afghanistan by 44,000 ought to be closely scrutinized. He adds that, on this issue, "the military got a free ride from America’s pretend leaders and fake journalists."

"General Stanley McChrystal's plan to pursue counterinsurgency in the countryside is a bridge too far," write Steve Simon and Charles Kupchan, arguing, instead, that Afghanistan policy should be focused on establishing control in strategic locations.

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

Les Gelb points to stalled U.S. efforts in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and others as evidence that "Barack Obama has arrived at a terrible moment of truth in foreign policy."

"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.

Richard Haass questions the degree to which success in Afghanistan is important to U.S. interests, writing that it is crucial to find a middle way between a troop surge and an immediate exit.

With debate raging on whether to increase troops in Afghanistan, Leslie H. Gelb writes that the United States can succeed there by empowering Afghans to take control of their own country.

Peter Bergen and Leslie H. Gelb present two policy options for troop presence in Afghanistan.

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

“Having recently returned from a research trip to Iraq, we are convinced that a total withdrawal of combat troops any time soon would be unwise,” write Stephen Biddle, Michael E. O’Hanlon and Kenneth M. Pollack. Although recent success in Iraq has prompted more calls for withdrawal, a continued American presence is needed to preserve the fragile peace in that country.

Max Boot writes that Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki’s ambiguous statements about a timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq are an attempt at political posturing before the upcoming presidential elections.

Congressional delegations can be illuminating despite the obvious limitations imposed by time and security concerns, writes Daniel Senor, giving Barack Obama a list of people he ought to meet on his upcoming trip to Iraq.

Iran’s goals of building a mutually beneficial relationship with Iraq and of undermining the American occupation are at odds with each other, writes Vali Nasr. These conflicting objectives have resulted in Tehran’s first major setback in Iraq.

“For every two steps forward in Iraq, there is also a step backward,” says Max Boot, referring to the faltering negotiations between the U.S. and Iraqi governments over the conditions of the United States’ continued presence in Iraq. Sticking points include whether U.S. soldiers and private security contractors will maintain immunity from Iraqi prosecution, and whether the U.S. will continue to have the freedom to detain terrorist suspects without Iraqi approval.

Mohamad Bazzi criticizes the Bush Administration’s “flawed understanding of basic forces in the Middle East,” by pointing out his inaccurate grouping of Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah in his speech to the Israeli Knesset. This is not the first time the President has made this mistake, says Bazzi. In his January 2007 State of the Union, he lumped Sunni and Shiite extremists as the same “totalitarian threat” with the “same wicked purposes.”

Lebanon’s political future is uncertain, the country is on the verge of civil conflict, and Hizbollah is playing an increasingly larger role, says Mohamad Bazzi.

Charles A. Kupchan and Ray Takeyh argue that “despite the tightening of U.N. sanctions, the West’s efforts to contain Iran are crumbling where it matters most: in the Middle East.”

Weston S. Konishi questions whether the Okinawa rape crisis will result in U.S. troop withdrawals from Japan.