Stephen Biddle, Jeffrey A. Friedman, and Jacob N. Shapiro examine the reasons for the reversal in 2007 from years of intense bloodshed in Iraq to almost four years of relative calm since then.

Micah Zenko and Emma Welch map out the launch pads for Obama's secret wars.

Leslie H. Gelb says military confrontations loom for President Obama in Iran, Syria, and North Korea, and he can't head them off with the usual duet of threats and talks.

Leslie H. Gelb says President Obama will wait until after the election to speed up U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan.

Leslie H. Gelb says foreign policy experts should be made to answer questions about the consequences and risks of their recommendations to engage the United States in wars with Syria and Iran.

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon says that while Afghan women deplore the burning of the Quran by U.S. troops, they are even angrier at the bloody protests that followed.

Elliott Abrams argues that President Obama's recent State of the Union address settled the matter on the existence of an Obama Doctrine.

Leslie H. Gelb says the Obama administration's announcement of a quick end to U.S. combat in Afghanistan is a surprise decision of strategic skill and political courage.

Colonel Gregory K. James, USA; Colonel Larry Holcomb, USMC; and Colonel Chad T. Manske, USAF argue that the success of Operation ODYSSEY DAWN, despite its complexity, validates joint planning processes, joint education foundations, joint training opportunities, and joint exercises.

Leslie H. Gelb discusses the need to examine the rationale for, and potential consequences of, going to war with Iran.

Max Boot argues that cuts to defense spending have the potential to devastate the U.S. armed forces, and if left unchecked, will do more damage to their fighting capacity than the Taliban, al-Qaeda, or any other external foe could inflict.

Max Boot says that at the moment, Iraq is an uneasy mixture of good and bad, volatile and stable, healthy and diseased—a strange witches' brew that could blow up or, just possibly, turn into an elixir for the entire region.

Leslie H. Gelb interviews U.S. vice president Joe Biden.

Max Boot argues that U.S. troops can win in Afghanistan, but the major battleground is in Washington.

Max Boot says the United States should not let fear of reaction deter it from dealing with the menace Pakistan poses.

Richard N. Haass says that the war in Afghanistan began ten years ago as a narrow, modest war of necessity but has evolved into a broad, ambitious war of choice.

Max Boot states that an American drawdown in both Iraq and Afghanistan makes continued war—and with it the possibility of a catastrophic American defeat—more likely by emboldening our enemies and disheartening our friends.

Stephen Biddle discusses how domestic politics still clashes with strategic imperatives in U.S. Afghan policy.

Leslie H. Gelb says President Obama accomplished the mission in Afghanistan and now needs to focus on nation building at home.

Leslie H. Gelb discusses why Ambassador Eikenberry was right to tell President Karzai to watch his words.