In replacing General Stanley McChrystal with General David Petraeus, a well-known counterinsurgency strategist, President Obama is betting that new leadership and old policy will equal victory in Afghanistan.

After a long delay, the United States adds its voice to those calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.  In the longer term, analysts hope prospects for restarting peace talks will have improved once the guns fall silent.

As tensions between Russia and the West mount over the military conflict in Georgia, some analysts worry about the collapse of arms control agreements.

Russia's offensive in Georgia, traced in part to bitterness over Kosovo's independence, stirs new concern over a chasm between Moscow and the West.

Experts worry Eritrea and Ethiopia could be on the brink of new conflict, potentially enmeshing Eritrea further in the Horn of Africa's many disputes.

Pakistan faces increasing pressure to crack down on militants linked to attacks in Afghanistan. Experts urge Western caution in dealing with the tribal areas.

Recent clashes and a cease-fire in Sadr City highlight the political jockeying and often confusing military skirmishes between Iraqis.

As military and political leaders debate future U.S. troop commitments to Iraq, the next U.S. president is put on notice.

Military and political leaders debate the United States' future troop commitments to Iraq and the extent to which 'victory' can ever be defined there.

Security gains in Iraq have been overshadowed by renewed intra-Shiite violence in Baghdad, Basra, and elsewhere. Some experts worry the worst is yet to come.

Pledges of more resources for Afghanistan have buoyed hopes for a rejuvenated NATO mission. Yet concerns persist about the alliance’s viability there.

The ballooning price tag for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has angered Democrats, but military analysts say it’s the larger debate over long-term priorities that really matters.

Some Democratic presidential contenders are joining the Bush administration and Iraqi officials in signaling a long-term U.S. presence in Iraq.

Lawmakers in both Washington and Baghdad took a summer recess gridlocked over how to resolve standoffs on policy to secure and rebuild Iraq.

A year after Israeli operations against Hezbollah and Hamas shook the region, the consequences appear grim, though peace initiatives are trying to coalesce. 

As major offensives get underway to root out insurgents outside the capital, Iraq’s economy continues to sputter and political progress appears bleak.

The purge of Fatah from the Gaza Strip by the militantly Islamic Hamas movement raises new questions about how Israel and the rest of the world should deal with the Palestinians.

American politicians finally agree on the need for benchmarks to judge progress in Iraq, but disagree sharply over linking those milestones to future funding or a timetable for withdrawal.

A new report sharply criticizes Israel’s conduct of last year’s Lebanon war, singling out Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and amplifying calls for his ouster.

A wave of bombs in Baghdad overshadows the current standoff over war funding. Despite meeting with congressional Democrats, President Bush has threatened to veto any bill on troop limits.