Anthony Shadid, Beirut bureau chief for The New York Times, talks about covering the unrest in Libya and being captured by the Libyan government and held for six days, along with his colleagues Lynsey Addario, Stephen Farrell and Tyler Hicks. 

Correspondent for The New York Times, Anthony Shadid writes that the future of the Arab world "was fought for in the streets of downtown Cairo on Wednesday." The populace is rethinking its role in Egypt as it calls for a new government. However, a new government will also mean a new understanding of U.S.-Egypt relations.

The popular uprising in Egypt is unprecedented as citizens forced an end to President Hosni Mubarak’s 30 year regime. The transition to a democratic government will be fraught with challenges, but such a transition is not unprecedented in the region. What does democracy look like in the Middle East?

Tunisia's army clashed with armed gangs in Tunisia's capital on Sunday, two days after a popular uprising forced long-time dictator, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, to flee the country. Popular support for Tunisians’ freedom is echoing across the Arab world. Anthony Shadid, a foreign correspondent for The New York Times, has reported from most countries in the Middle East over his fifteen year career. He says that the Arab world is facing its most dangerous and yawning divide between ruler and ruled.

Less than a week after President Obama declared the end of combat operations in Iraq, U.S. forces have exchanged fire with insurgents in Baghdad. American troops helped repel a coordinated attack on an Iraqi base. At least five bombers carrying grenades and wearing suicide jackets attempted to breach checkpoints and killed at least 12 people, wounding at least 20. 

The engagement was the first for U.S. forces since last Tuesday, when President Obama delaclared the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 7 1/2 year war, and the start of Operation New Dawn, in which 50,000 troops will remain in Iraq in a non-combat role to support and train the Iraqi military. 

The Green Zone was established in Baghdad when U.S. troops invaded in 2003, and since then it has come to symbolize much of the American presence, both in Iraq and abroad. It is a fortress, a city within a city, and the headquarters of both American power and the Iraqi government.

Today we take a look at the Green Zone’s future and legacy as American troops continue their withdrawal from Iraq, and whether the Green Zone needs to be dismantled in order for the country to have true sovereignty.

New York Times foreign correspondent Anthony Shadid will be assessing the results of Iraq’s parliamentary elections, which took place Sunday, March 7. He’ll talk about what the elections might mean for stability, the political future of the country, and for the plan to pulling out combat troops.

In 2005, Iraqis went to the polls to elect leadership, but the Sunni population refused to participate. Last weekend Iraqis went to the polls again and everyone turned out. Anthony Shadid, Middle East correspondent for The Washington Post, joins us now from Baghdad with an account of how the elections went and what outcome is expected.

For more of Anthony Shadid's insight, check out his book Night Draws Near: Iraq’s People in the Shadow of America’s War