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The new administration | Is Bagram Obama's Guantanamo? COMMENTARY The first and last legacy of the Bush detention era is the prison at Bagram Air Base. But torture expert Karen Greenberg writes that there are no signs so far that the Obama administration is going to make any changes there. And still unclear: Who is being held there? Are they classified as 'prisoners of war' or as Bushian 'unlawful enemy combatants'? How are they being treated? 
The overseas press | Afghanistan as Obama's Iraq, or Vietnam COMMENTARY The international media tend to be pessimistic about Obama sending in more troops and are divided on whether their contries should send more also.
Whose army is it? | Has the U.S. military become an imperial foreign legion? COMMENTARY A former Air Force officer marvels at how far the armed forces have strayed from their proper purpose, how dramatically the government has abandoned the notion of shared sacrifice, and how little Americans seem to care about the well-being of the troops.
Free trade v. protectionism | Look for a civil war among Democrats on trade COMMENTARY The press, albeit a little late getting started, has done well in covering the financial crisis, writes Henry Banta. Now there's going to be an ugly fight over trade policy.Can the press continue its good work and help raise the level of debate?
An Afghan face on the war is needed | 'Ain't no education in the second kick of a mule' COMMENTARY Military affairs writer George Wilson sees Defense Sec. Gates as being on a mission to keep Congress, the White House and the Pentagon from repeating mistakes of the past in Afghanistan.
The new administration | A wake-up call for the 111th Congress COMMENTARY Andrew Rudalevige, author of 'The New Imperial Presidency,' calls on Congress to reassert itself as a coequal branch of government, reclaim powers it abdicated to the executive branch under President Bush, demand information, conduct aggressive oversight and use its power of the purse.
Skyrocketing weapons costs | Dear Mr. President, about your defense budget… COMMENTARY Military spending is taking us to the poor house, writes George Wilson in an open letter to President Obama. 'No politician wants to look weak on national defense. But cutting fat and insisting on accountability for cost overruns on weapons aren't signs of weakness.'
Race and journalism | Are race relations changing in America? Why not have reporters find out? COMMENTARY Race has always defined America, writes Sam Fulwood, III. Maybe now that we have a black president our news organizations can also have an honest, open race-reporting beat?
The new administration | Rethinking how we cover the White House COMMENTARY Faced with an opaque presidency these past eight years, journalists grew too accustomed to trading in superficiality and trivia. But Obama's promise of transparency means we may now have more substantial things to talk about. Dan Froomkin writes that we should embrace the opportunity to publicly explore the important issues and decisions facing our nation and our world.
The overseas press | All eyes, all over the world, on Obama COMMENTARY He takes office facing huge crises and high expectations. The East African, in Kenya, says: “As a transitional leader who embodies the effort to reconcile conflicting races and cultures of many kinds, Obama seeks nothing less than to bend the arc of history. This is surely more responsibility than any individual can bear.”
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