This publication is now archived. Was the war in Iraq justified? There is broad agreement that removing Saddam Hussein from power neutralized a ruthless tyrant. But the debate over why the Unit…

The new prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, faces the difficult task of mending frayed relations with China and South Korea. Experts say that Abe has made initial progress, but the North Korea nucle…

Gen. David Petraeus’ assertions about falling casualties in Iraq are supported by a range of objective sources. But his testimony to Congress does not establish whether the decline is attributable to…

Japan’s constitution forbids a traditional military, allowing only a narrowly defined Self Defense Force, or SDF. Some experts now see acceleration in the longstanding movement to modernize and stren…

The G20 meetings in Toronto will be marked by competing agendas on global growth and financial regulations. This Backgrounder looks at the range of policy concerns.