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One Iranian site of particular interest to U.S. intelligence officials is the military complex at Parchin, about 20 miles southeast of the capital, Tehran. The complex is shown here in a 2004 satellite image.

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A Peek Inside The CIA, As It Tries To Assess Iran

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The CIA took considerable heat over Iraq, where no weapons of mass destruction were found. Now, as the agency assesses Iran and its nuclear program, it invites an NPR correspondent to its headquarters for a rare chat about its analysis of Iran and Iraq intelligence.

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Is Al-Qaida Dropping Clues About Planned Attacks?

Al-Qaida likes to taunt the West by hinting of future attacks in its videos and publications.

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U.S.-Bound Passenger Jet Diverted Due To 'Security Issue' On Board

US Airways Flight 787 was going to Charlotte, N.C., from Paris. It landed in Bangor, Maine, instead.

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A Marine Corps team carries the remains of Marine Sgt. J.P. Huling, 25, of West Chester, Ohio, at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on May 9. Huling was killed three days earlier by an Afghan soldier in southern Afghanistan, one of a growing number of such shootings.

An Afghan Shoots, A Marine Dies, Mistrust Grows

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Middle East

Why The U.S. Is Aggressively Targeting Yemen()

Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen. "The United States is doubling down on its use of air power and drones, which are swiftly becoming the primary focus of Washington's counterterrorism operations," writes Jeremy Scahill.

May 17, 2012 Yemen is now considered to be "the greatest external threat facing the U.S. homeland in terms of terrorism," says investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill.

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Asia

Are U.S. Troops In Australia A Hedge Against China?()

U.S. Marines are shown during a training exercise south of Darwin, Australia. Marines recently arrived in Australia as part of a move by the U.S. to place greater emphasis on Asia and the Pacific.

May 16, 2012 The U.S. has sent Marines to Australia as part of a military pivot that will place greater emphasis on Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Some Australians are wondering how this might affect their relations with China.

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Why Do Terrorists So Often Go For Planes?()

Despite the multiple layers of security at airports, terrorists still often target planes. But terrorism analysts say they are also concerned about soft targets. Here, a Transportation Security Administration agent looks at an identity card at the Portland International Airport earlier this month.

May 15, 2012 The latest terrorism scare, like so many others, involved a plot to blow up an airplane. While it seems many terrorist groups are fixated on planes, there are also signs that they're now looking for easier targets that can cause catastrophic damage.

Summary

Military Looks To Redefine PTSD, Without Stigma()

The U.S. military is trying to encourage service members and veterans to seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. The military is also seeking to remove any sense of stigma for receiving treatment. Here, military personnel attend a presentation on PTSD at Fort Hamilton Army Garrison in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2009.

May 14, 2012 The military wants to encourage more veterans to get treatment if they think they have PTSD. But that would add more cases to an already overburdened system.

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Afghanistan

U.S. Military Mission: Pushing Afghans To Take Lead()

May 12, 2012 The U.S. strategy for leaving Afghanistan calls for U.S. troops to hand off responsibility for security to Afghan forces. The target date is two years away. It's been a slow process so far, with Afghan troops sometimes unwilling, or unable, to assume leadership.

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