For almost a third of a century, the Islamic Republic of Iran has confounded American presidents. It has taken hostages, conducted terrorism, undermined the Middle East peace process, and worked unrelentingly to become a nuclear power and develop missiles with global reach.

Whether Ahmadinejad is impeached or not, the latest conflict among the civilian leaders has made the IRGC the most important arbiter of power in the Islamic Republic.

On holy war, apostasy, and the rights of women in Islam.

The Abu Ghraib prison scandal won't determine the fate of democracy in the Middle East.

The secular, pro-American autocratic political cultures that have defined much of the Middle East are dying, if not dead, and the United States would do well not to pretend otherwise.

Arrogant, dogmatic, and anti-American, Iraq's Shiite clerics are the last people enlightened Westerners want to see in power. Let's hope they prevail.

On that quiet, halcyon September morning of 2001, something metaphysical in the structure of our world, not just psychological, snapped and came alive.

The Bush administration ought to be prepared to encourage or coerce the most consequential regimes in place into changing sooner, not later.