The latest report by the U.S. inspector general for Iraq’s reconstruction says work continues to be hobbled by security concerns, poor oversight and corruption. Stuart Bowen Jr. tells cfr.org that in…

President Obama is pushing for a "civilian surge" in Afghanistan, but John E. Herbst, in charge of staffing a State Department civilian-led reconstruction program that operates there, says congressio…

Nathan J. Brown, a leading expert on Arab democratization, says there is widespread interest in the Arab world in political and other reforms. President Bush has called for increased democracy in the…

Col. Michael J. Meese, a member of Gen. David Petraeus’ team assessing progress in Iraq in advance of the general’s report to Congress next week, says violence in Iraq is down due to cooperation betw…

Walter Russell Mead, the Council’s expert on U.S. foreign policy, says President Bush has scored “some successes” in the past year and maintained “a very high level of political support in the United…