S. Frederick Starr, a longtime expert on the Caucasus and Central Asia, says Russia is using a "carrot and stick" approach to attempt to force the United States out of a crucial air base in Kyrgyzsta…

Anthony H. Cordesman, a prominent analyst of the Iraq war, says if President Bush does not produce a credible, persuasive plan in his Iraq policy speech, “he is going to be perceived relatively quick…

Pakistan’s instability, a Taliban insurgency, and growing skepticism in the United States argue for an earlier drawing-down of forces from Afghanistan if there’s no progress, says Richard Armitage, c…

Elizabeth Rubin, a journalist who has reported extensively on Afghanistan, says beyond the presidential elections, U.S. officials must become more closely involved in improving Afghan governance or f…

Rather than voicing its impatience, the U.S. should see Afghan President Karzai’s outbursts over the past few weeks as symptomatic of domestic political pressures, says CFR President Richard N. Haass…