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…

This publication is now archived. Who runs the prison system in Iraq?The coalition authorities. According to an official memorandum issued June 8, 2003, by L. Paul Bremer III, the U.S. administrator …

U.S.-Vatican relations remain uneven following Joseph Ratzinger’s accession as Pope Benedict XVI, particularly as the Obama administration pursues a more liberal social agenda.

Lawmakers are considering sharp cuts to defense spending as part of mandated deficit-reduction efforts. This Backgrounder discusses the effects of such major cuts and implications for U.S. military s…

This publication is now archived. Did the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib amount to torture?Some of it likely did, experts say. The worst abuses—including beatings and forced sexual act…