Donald G. McNeil Jr. examines the political and geostrategic implications of U.S. foreign aid to Pakistan in the wake of heavy floods that struck the country in August.

Pakistan's floods spell setbacks for the U.S. fight against extremism and its war effort in Afghanistan, says CFR's Daniel Markey. He says beyond humanitarian aid relief, Washington must focus on boosting Pakistan's economy through greater trade opportunities.

Michael J. Hicks of Ball State University and Mark L. Burton of The University of Tennessee provide a preliminary estimate of damages, in monetary value, from the 2010 Pakistan floods.

Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid laments the poor international response to the Pakistan floods and articulates why the West should be more concerned about the floods' wide-ranging effects on international diplomacy.

In this Washington Post opinion piece, Shuja Nawaz, director of the South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, sees an opportunity for improved U.S.-Pakistan relations admist the destruction caused by the floods.

The international response to Pakistan's flood disaster has been inadequate so far, says Richard Holbrooke, U.S. special representative to the country. He says Washington is contacting international governments and is sending more aid, including helicopters to assist in relief efforts.

Karachi-based journalist Huma Yusuf takes a look at the turbulent history of Pakistani media, which has veered from state control to liberalization and back, depending on the government's vacillating policies.

Pakistan's floods are likely to cause setbacks for the country's development and its fight against militancy. Experts say the international community must intensify aid efforts and continue to support the country's democratic institutions.

Nicholas Shmidle writes that despite the shaky relationship between the United States and Pakistan in the wake of the WikiLeaks documents release, Pakistan plays an important role in Washington's Afghanistan policy.

Pakistan's latest bout of struggles with rampant floods, violence, and terrorism raise new questions about its governing capacity and stability. Experts say international support for the country is crucial.

The Guardian's Kamila Shamsie argues that the Pakistani state has failed its citizens, and now the country is unprepared to deal with the floods.

In this July 2010 survey report, the Pew Research Center examines Pakistani public opinion of the Taliban and al Qaeda, the United States, and national conditions in Pakistan.

Mosharraf Zaidi writes that focusing on the adverse role of Pakistan's intelligence service, the ISI, in Afghanistan is a distraction. He argues that the true purpose behind the WikiLeaks expose is to end Obama's war.

Despite a spiral of violence in Afghanistan, the United States must reorient its security-first strategy and consider immediate talks with Taliban and other militant fighters, says independent analyst Matt Waldman.

The WikiLeaks' reports are important because they come at a time of growing public disillusionment about Afghanistan, not because they contain much new information, says CFR's Daniel Markey.

Micah Zenko asks what future leaks of U.S. military documents will reveal.

Leslie H. Gelb discusses the WikiLeaks documents and how they underscore the need for the Obama administration to reconsider its policy toward Aghanistan and Pakistan.

The New York Times summarizes WikiLeaks' findings from its release of military records on the Afghanistan war.

Bruce Riedel, senior fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, wonders in this Brookings Up Front blog if it is time for the U.S. to confront Pakistan about its possible collusions with militant and terrorist organizations.

The reliance on unmanned drones to target terror suspects in Pakistan has been quietly lauded by U.S. officials. But the covert program, which has so far gotten little public scrutiny, is facing mounting legal and ethical concerns.