Among the issues that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and Republican standard-bearer John McCain should take up in this week’s presidential debate is the tragedy of delayed casualties from the U.S.-led intervention in Iraq.
Most Americans are familiar with the official Iraq toll – as of this week, 4,169 U.S. dead, along with a several hundred [...]

Some critics have described President George W. Bush’s just-concluded swing through Europe as irrelevant, contending that the region essentially disregards him. Moreover, the critics continue, his visit bordered on delusional. After years of tension, how could Bush possibly have had the nerve to walk the streets of European capitals with such confidence and toss out [...]

On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led intervention that toppled Saddam Hussein, many people understandably still search for answers. All the more reason, then, for thorough, objective, fact-based assessments about Iraq that clarify the historical record, and expand our understanding of how and why we arrived at this conundrum.

Aside from the obvious benefit of dethroning former dictator Saddam Hussein, the U.S.-led intervention in Iraq – which is rapidly approaching its fifth anniversary – has prompted more questions than answers for most Americans.
In one part of Iraq, though, the Kurdistan region, the way forward has never been clearer, as I learned last week during [...]

Terrorists reached new lows of ugly behavior in Baghdad last week by remotely detonating the explosives-laden bodies of two mentally challenged women. Now, it is bad enough when terrorists knowingly sacrifice themselves to cause murder and mayhem. But when they manipulate others into doing their evil bidding – in this case, as unwitting suicide bombers [...]

Will President George W. Bush’s eleventh-hour visit to the Middle East this week deliver more than photo opportunities?
One might be tempted to say no, based on the low expectations that emanate from virtually all directions. With the right effort, though – that is, demonstrating some humility, advancing a future vision for the region and downplaying [...]

Will Turkey invade Iraq?
I hope not, although that question incessantly hovers over a deteriorating situation along the border between the two countries. In recent days, clashes involving Turkish troops and a Kurdish extremist group known as the PKK have killed dozens of Turks and militants. Several Turkish soldiers have wound up as hostages.
As bad as [...]

When supporters of the Iraq war argue that the United States should avoid premature, politically motivated gestures – such as last week’s U.S. House of Representatives vote to pull out by April 2008 – I cannot help responding, “And what was the essence of the original decision to intervene?”
In short, it was premature and politically [...]