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 analys…

Despite recent successes, unmanned drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan remain a controversial tactic. CFR’s Micah Zenko says the Obama administration must shed new details on the "worst kept co…

President Obama says "systemic failures" contributed to the Christmas Day airliner plot, but CFR’s Steven Simon says given the huge volume of intelligence analyzed daily, reforms won’t come easily.

CFR’s Mohamad Bazzi says Syria continues to "meddle" in the business of many states in the Mideast but could be a useful partner for the United States in the region.

The U.S. Central Command’s communication director says countering militant messages in Afghanistan and Pakistan will require being "first with the truth" and empowering indigenous voices.