Debates about the possibility of containing a nuclear Iran often hinge on judgments of whether the regime there is rational. But as a wealth of recently released Iraqi documents about Saddam Hussein's tumultuous reign in Iraq show, even an arguably rational leader can be unreasonable -- and very hard to deter.

Iraq is hardly the failed state that Ned Parker portrayed in these pages, argues Antony Blinken, the U.S. vice president's national security adviser. Norman Ricklefs sees Iraq's politics becoming more moderate and less sectarian. Parker replies that despite these improvements, Baghdad still violates human rights and ignores the rule of law.

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.

Ongoing violence and corruption in Iraq since the U.S. military pullout could augur a return to full-on sectarian strife and continued poor governance, says CFR's Ned Parker.

The State Department released this joint statement by the U.S. and Iraq, at the first meeting of the US - Iraq Defense and Security Cooperation Joint Coordinating Committee on May 24, 2012.

The Arab League summit in Baghdad is focused on Syria, but events on the ground appear to have already outpaced the regional group, says CFR's Mohamad Bazzi.

Meghan L. O'Sullivan discusses the Arab League summit convening in Bhaghdad.

Ned Parker discusses his Foreign Affairs article from the March/April 2012 issue, "The Iraq We Left Behind--Welcome to the World's Next Failed State," and provides insights from on-the-ground experience in Iraq.

This week's Arab League Summit in Baghdad presents questions about the organization's role in a changed Middle East, the durability of Assad's regime in Syria, and Iraq's security and regional ties, says CFR's Ned Parker.

When faced with a rising tide of violence, largely caused by their own policy mistakes, the U.S. occupation embarked on the reconstitution of an Iraqi military. The resultant Iraqi security forces, under the control of Nuri al-Maliki, are today on their way to occupying the same role as the armed forces of the Ba'athist regime, writes Toby Dodge.

UN Security Council Resolution 699 was adopted on June 17, 1991. The resolution gave the IAEA and the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) authority to conduct inspections for weapons in Iraq and destroy, remove or render the weapons harmless. UNSCOM was replaced in 1999 with UN Monitoring Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC).

Ned Parker, CFR's Edward R. Murrow press fellow, discusses the current situation in Iraq and the recent escalation of sectarian violence.

Nine years after U.S. troops toppled Saddam Hussein and just a few months after the last U.S. soldier left Iraq, the country has become something close to a failed state.

Leslie H. Gelb says Israeli threats undercut prospects for a settlement with Iran.

Iraqi filmmaker Oday Rasheed discusses his second film, Qarantina, which follows the story of a broken family in Baghdad who takes in a mysterious boarder. Qarantina is part of the Global Lens 2012 film series and was co-presented with the Global Film Initiative.

Leslie H. Gelb explains why federalism is the best approach for creating a peaceful and independent Iraq.

As the last U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq this month, an emerging political battle among the country's top leaders has raised concerns over its stability. It underscores the difficult road ahead for the fragile democracy and potential for greater violence, says CFR's Ned Parker.

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.

Max Boot says that by pulling out U.S. troops from Iraq prematurely--against the advice of military commanders --President Obama has made another war there more likely.

Meghan O'Sullivan states, "While Americans have been welcoming the 'end' of the war in Iraq over the past few days, a political crisis of serious proportions has been unfolding in Baghdad."