Iran has emerged as Washington’s chief bogeyman in Iraq. But some experts say Iranian influence may be exaggerated.

As the U.S. security plan for Iraq takes shape in Baghdad, Muqtada al-Sadr appears to be moving to forestall a U.S. crackdown on his Shiite militia.

President Bush’s plan to secure Baghdad faces a number of obstacles: a war-weary American public, a resistant Iraqi government, and an entrenched sectarian dispute.

President Bush’s decision to send more troops to Iraq has sparked a clash with a war-weary Congress, and his "surge" policy continues to draw fire at hearings. Yet while Congress controls a number of levers, its Democratic leaders appear intent on taking only a symbolic stand against the new policy.

President Bush, admitting mistakes in Iraq, announced an increase of 21,500 troops to secure Baghdad and Anbar and pressed Iraqi leaders to meet governance benchmarks. A skeptical Democratic majority in Congress plans hearings to scrutinize administration policy.

With a new team of Iraq advisers emerging, President Bush looks set to call for a “surge” of more U.S. forces to Iraq. Some critics, including newly empowered congressional Democrats, think the emphasis should be on redeployment from Iraq.

Saddam Hussein’s death may have little influence on the ongoing insurgency and sectarian violence, but beyond Iraq’s borders it may portend worsening relations between the region’s Shiite and Sunni communities.  

The death of Saddam Hussein brings to a close one turbulent chapter in Iraq’s history. But his complicated relations with Washington portend challenging times ahead for U.S.-Iraqi diplomacy.

In January, Saddam Hussein is expected to be hanged, leaving Iraqis as divided as ever. His death may coincide with a major speech by President Bush on adjusting the war strategy in Iraq.

President Bush and his new defense secretary have been noncommital on a change in troop moves in Iraq but new deployments are expected to be part of the administration’s strategy shift.

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.

Setbacks in Iraq have prompted calls for rethinking the Bush administration's policies in the broader Middle East. Though seriously considering shifts in military tactics in Iraq, President Bush is sticking to his goal of spreading democracy in the region.

President Bush is studying a variety of options in the current review of U.S. Iraq policy, all of which involve embedding more U.S. military advisers with Iraqi forces. But how else can U.S. policy help increase chances of success in Iraq?

President Bush says he will weigh the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group with in-house reports from the National Security Council, State Department, and Pentagon before moving forward on Iraq.

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.

The Iraq Study Group’s report admits the situation in Iraq is “grave and deteriorating,” recommends greater regional diplomacy, and calls for shifting the U.S. military focus from combat to a supportive role.

U.S. policymakers anxiously await the release of the Iraq Study Group’s report, which is expected to call for a change-the-course strategy in Iraq and may recommend phased withdrawals of U.S. forces.

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.

Leaks regarding the Bush administration's confidence in the Iraqi prime minister and a bipartisan commission's recommendations regarding American troop withdrawals create complications during the president's trip to the Middle East.

The Iraq Study Group has garnered much attention ahead of its report on the war in Iraq, yet it remains unclear whether its proposals will be followed, and if so, how effective they will be.