David Petraeus has one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

After the resignation of his predecessor in June, Petraeus has taken on the role of Commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

So who is this man that President Obama has so much faith in, why was he given this role, and what is his strategy?

The war in Afghanistan began in 2001 in response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

While Australia negotiates its way to an election result, spare a thought for Iraq. On 7 March this year, Iraqis held their second parliamentary elections since the invasion in 2003.

No party won a clear majority, and to this day – nearly six months on – the various parties are still haggling over who will be the next government.

On Monday, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that a UN inquiry will be conducted into Israel’s deadly attack on the Gaza aid flotilla in May.

It has been hailed as an “unprecedented development” by Ban after Israel agreed for the first time ever to cooperate with a UN inquiry into its military actions.

For the past year, Israel has put pressure on the international community to do whatever it can to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

Yet Israel has possessed nuclear weapons for over 40 years and remains the only Middle Eastern country to do so.

It’s a case of hypocrisy and double standards that has frustrated many countries in the region. And last week, they were finally given the opportunity to voice it.

The Middle East nuclear debate

On Monday, a team of Israeli commandos shot and killed 10 people after being airlifted onto a group of boats heading towards the Mediterranean coast of the Gaza Strip.

The boats were delivering aid supplies to the Palestinians, but also protesting at Israel’s prison-like ban (blockade) of Gaza for the last three years.

And as tragic as Monday’s incident was, it has successfully put the spotlight on something more tragic – life inside Gaza.

The boat incident

The drama over hit squads and identity theft has brought to light the ‘Bond-like’ activity of Mossad – Israel’s secret service and intelligence agency.

Mossad (the Hebrew word for ‘institution’) have a reputation as being the world’s best due to their ruthless efficiency, commanding both fear and respect from their enemies.

Mossad

2010 will be a decisive year for Afghanistan. So say leaders from 70 countries who gathered in London last week for a conference on the future of the troubled nation.

A clear strategy to end the war was outlined and some bold targets set. The question now is whether it will work.

But a fresh new approach has been proposed – winning the Taliban over, rather than defeating them.

The military aim of the strategy is to begin handing over security control to the Afghans.

As the ‘war against terror' enters its ninth year in Afghanistan, a new militant training ground is emerging farther afield.

The Nigerian man who attempted to blow up an American plane on Christmas day was trained by an Al-Qaeda faction in Yemen, an obscure country that hardly made it onto the radar while the world's attention was focused elsewhere.

Now, it has well and truly caught the attention of the West.

Each year an estimated 5000 women are murdered in the name of honour, killed by siblings or fathers for bringing shame to their family or community.

While the law prohibits these murders, the concept of honour is ingrained into the male-dominated (patriarchal) Middle Eastern society, with women regarded as vessels to uphold the family honour.

Human Rights Watch defines honour killings as “acts of violence, usually murder, committed by male family members against female family members, who are said to have brought dishonour upon the family.”

Despite violence being reportedly at its lowest level since the 2003 invasion, Iraq is still arguably the most dangerous country on earth. On the surface, suicide bombings seem to be less frequent but more severe.

But it’s not just bomb blasts that cause ongoing suffering. Everyday issues such as child kidnappings, dismal unemployment and an absence of life’s basic services make it tough going for your average Iraqi.

While attention focuses on Afghanistan, Iraq is still at war with itself.