A large demonstration in Najaf may foreshadow a revival of Shiite nationalism as the troop surge has pacified Baghdad somewhat, pushing the violence to the capital’s periphery.

The surge to secure Baghdad is still in its infancy but has shown limited signs of success, even as resentment of the war grows among Iraqis and Americans.

The White House says it will meet Iran and Syria at a regional conference on improving Iraqi security.

A massive suicide attack in northern Afghanistan during Vice President Cheney’s visit reinforces the country’s lack of security and the resurgence of Taliban.

With insurgent attacks growing more coordinated, Congress debates whether to condone President Bush’s latest plan to secure Iraq with more troops.

In announcing a new tack on Iraq, President Bush chastised Iran and Syria for meddling in their neighbor’s affairs, brushed aside appeals for direct talks, and deployed an additional carrier-strike group to the region.

Ethiopian troops appear to have won a military victory over Somalia's Islamic Courts militias, who fled Mogadishu Thursday. Their exit leaves a power vacuum in Somalia, and the United States’ focus on counterterrorism in the Horn of Africa may hinder its ability to defuse the crisis.

The U.S. military’s updated counterinsurgency manual acknowledges today’s soldiers must often serve as “nation builders as well as warriors.” The doctrine offers lessons drawn from those stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq, but critics argue its tenets are too soft.

President Bush and Prime Minister Blair discussed a "new way forward" in Iraq, but revealed little of their thinking in the wake of the Iraq Study Group’s report.

Escalating sectarian violence in Iraq has prompted a debate among members of the media and foreign policy community over whether the conflict qualifies as a “civil war.” The debate sets the backdrop for a bipartisan commission’s recommendations on what to do next in Iraq.

Cluster bombs made news after last summer’s war between Israel and Hezbollah, but efforts to curb their use remain grounded.

A much-awaited report by a former secretary of state has stirred debate over whether the White House should abandon its "stay-the-course" strategy in Iraq.

A photographic history of the first five years of the war in Afghanistan.

The declassification of a grim U.S. intelligence report is fueling an already raging partisan debate over the Iraq war.

Stretching back to Vietnam, the number of U.S. forces deployed in combat has played heavily in American politics. As U.S. casualties in Iraq continue to climb, troop levels again have become a hot-button electoral issue. 

The sectarian fighting in Iraq can now be characterized as a civil war, experts say. But what does that mean for U.S. policy?

In a further sign that a cease-fire may be some way off in the Middle East, Israeli officials say over 200 rockets crashed into Israeli territory Wednesday, even as Israeli forces fought to consolidate a new security zone in southern Lebanon.

Despite a citywide security operation launched a month ago, Baghdad remains a dangerous place, as sectarian militias rule the streets and suicide attacks remain commonplace.

Israeli air strikes continue to destroy Lebanon's infrastructure as Hezbollah rockets target Israeli cities. Experts say the violence is the result of regional political maneuvering by Iran and Syria—using as their proxies Hezbollah and, to a lesser extent, Hamas—that makes a quick end to the conflict unlikely.

Israeli forces enter Lebanon as back-and-forth missile attacks between Hezbollah and Israel escalate. EU and UN officials have called for the deployment of international peacekeepers to defuse the crisis.