The war of words between Washington and Tehran has heightened tensions in Iraq, and raised the prospects of a lengthy standoff.

Oil and the status of Kirkuk continue to divide Iraq's central government and the Kurdish region, but signs of political progress are emerging.

The promotion of General Petraeus to Centcom chief could have profound implications for Washington's long-term strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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.

The top U.S. military and diplomatic officials in Iraq will tell Congress of security improvements and scattered political progress, but many lawmakers want to hear an exit strategy. 

The Bush administration continues to accuse Iran of fueling violence in Iraq, even as some experts disagree on what Tehran’s objectives might be.

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.

On the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, CFR.org offers a selection of recent analysis, interviews, op-eds, and other resources to provide context to the conflict.

The Iraq war has confounded and surprised U.S. policymakers over five years, and is expected to remain a challenge for a new administration.

The extension of the Mahdi Army militia’s cease-fire could improve security in Iraq, but it may also be a smart tactical move for a powerful foe.

The visit by Iran’s president to Iraq, while symbolic of improving neighborly relations, could also signal a surge in clout for long-isolated Tehran.

The growing appetite of Iraq’s Kurdish government, Washington’s most trusted ally, for control of their own national destiny has sparked worries that Kurdish nationalism could undermine fragile political progress in Baghdad.

President Bush's farewell State of the Union address was marked by a call for Congress to unite behind his Iraq policy and curtail partisanship.

On the anniversary of President Bush’s surge plan for Iraq, some analysts question how lasting its progress will prove.

Turkish military strikes on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq underscore the ethnic tensions mounting in the region. The unsettled matter of Kirkuk also feeds insecurity.

U.S. military progress in Iraqis affecting U.S. public opinion, but progress reconciling Iraq’s feuding ethnic factions has proven elusive

Iraqi refugees are returning home after years of war, leading Iraqi and U.S. officials to talk of a corner turned. But millions more remain abroad and unconvinced.

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.

Turkish ground raids into Iraqi Kurdistan could undermine U.S. military efforts and further fragment Iraq’s federal government.