On day six of the United Nations-backed, U.S.-led Operation Odyssey Dawn operation in Libya, the outcome of the crisis is still unclear. But the future of the country doesn't just depend on which side comes out on top of the military conflict. It may come down to whether a leader is able to keep the petroleum and gas export-fueled economy going long enough to make real reforms, and keep the country fed in the process. However, at this point there are still a lot of unknowns regarding the situation.

The Afghan government now says it's arranged a truce with a group of Taliban in a district in northern Afghanistan in order to allow elections to go ahead on August 20 and to permit development projects to proceed in the area. The Takeaway talks with Professor Anthony Cordesman, Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. who just got back from a month-long trip in Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Southern Iraq this morning. He was in Israel and then Jordan yesterday. How much power does he have inside the administration, and how does it compare with previous Pentagon chiefs? Long-time U.S foreign policy analyst Anthony Cordesman talks about the Gates-Obama relationship.