The most realistic and acceptable alternative models of governance in Afghanistan are decentralized democracy and a system of internal mixed sovereignty.

As three new books show, defeating the Taliban will require local, bottom-up efforts -- beginning with a deep understanding of tribal and subtribal politics.

As the Obama administration prepares to send more troops to Afghanistan, what are the problems U.S. forces will face, and what, if anything, can they do to overcome them?

Two new books offer insightful analyses of how to succeed in Afghanistan.

The Taliban and al Qaeda may not pose enough of a threat to the United States to make a long war in Afghanistan worth the costs.

U.S. troops in Iraq may guarantee security, but they will not bring about political reconciliation, the key to stability.

Robert Kagan's Return of History ignores the Iraqi elephant in the room.

The Bush administration's new strategy in Iraq has produced short-term gains at the expense of the long-term goal of a stable, unitary Iraq.

A special, double-length article from the upcoming May/June issue of Foreign Affairs, presenting key excerpts from the recently declassified book-length report of the USJFCOM Iraqi Perspectives Project.

Featuring teaching notes by CFR Fellow Micah Zenko, author of the CFR book Between Threats and War: Discrete Military Operations in the Post-Cold War World, this academic module includes additional resources to supplement the teaching of the text in the classroom. In this book, Dr. Zenko examines thirty-six discrete military operations carried out by the United States and evaluates U.S. policy choices, recommending ways in which limited military force may be applied in the future.

This module features teaching notes by CFR President Richard N. Haass, author of War of Necessity, War of Choice: A Memoir of Two Iraq Wars, along with other resources to supplement the text. In this CFR Book, Dr. Haass contrasts the decisions that shaped the conduct of two wars between the United States and Iraq, and writes an authoritative, personal account of how U.S. foreign policy is made. The preface to the paperback edition assesses not only Iraq but also the war in Afghanistan and a potential conflict with Iran.

This academic module features teaching notes by author Ashley S. Deeks for the Council Special Report Avoiding Transfers to Torture, along with additional resources to supplement the text. In this report, Ms. Deeks addresses the dilemma that occurs when the United States obtains assurances that released detainees will not be tortured by their home countries upon return, guarantees that are an important tool for dealing with dangerous suspects.

A sweeping, epic history that ranges from the defeat of the Spanish Armada to the war on terrorism, War Made New is a provocative new vision of the rise of the modern world through the lens of warfare.

This guide provides expert analysis and background on some of the central issues facing Iraq ten years after the U.S.-led invasion.

As regional players meet in Istanbul to pledge support for building a stable Afghanistan, analysts caution against overstating a regional solution given the conflicting interests of Kabul's neighbors.

After a decade of fighting, U.S. goals remain unclear in Afghanistan. With the 2014 deadline to end the combat mission, experts remain divided on hopes for a political settlement, and stress political and governance reforms.

The deadliest month for U.S. troops in Afghanistan comes to an end amid renewed debate about the U.S. endgame there and whether the nearly decade-long conflict has achieved its goals.

The U.S. and European allies face increasing questions about the extent of their air bombardment of the Libyan regime's forces, as broader regional unrest, especially in Yemen, also poses troubles for policymakers.