FACTBOX: Obama and the world's trouble spots

(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for giving the world "hope for a better future" with his work for peace and calls to reduce the global stockpile of nuclear weapons.

Obama, the first black U.S. president, took office in January, succeeding George W. Bush. He inherited two wars and many international trouble spots. He promised to improve America's standing in the world with a more cooperative spirit. Here is the state of play of some of those trouble spots:

AFGHANISTAN

* Obama inherited a war in Afghanistan that was launched after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The aim was to root out al Qaeda and topple Taliban rulers who harbored the group. Obama has said it is a necessary war to ensure U.S. security. Violence in Afghanistan has recently reached levels not seen since the start of the war and Obama ordered an increase of 21,000 troops in March. He is currently reviewing strategy and deciding whether to boost the number of U.S. troops even further. The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has called for some 40,000 more U.S. troops, which would add to the 65,000 currently there.

IRAQ

* Obama inherited an unpopular war in Iraq launched by Bush in 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein. Obama has set a deadline of August 2010 for the removal of U.S. combat forces and all American troops are to be pulled out by the end of 2011.

IRAN

* Obama said during his election campaign that he would try to talk to leaders of countries viewed by the United States as troublesome, such as Iran. So far, Iran has rebuffed his overtures. On the key sticking point -- the West's suspicion that Iran is developing nuclear weapons -- Obama sent a U.S. representative to talks last month between Iran and other world powers. Obama has sought to build consensus on how to put pressure on Iran, in particular since the revelation of a second Iranian uranium enrichment site. He has said he wants to deal with the issue through peaceful means but has not ruled out military action as a last option.

NORTH KOREA

* Obama's effort to engage North Korea has made little progress, with Pyongyang still defiant on its nuclear program. Obama in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly said he was committed to diplomacy with Iran and North Korea but both countries must be held accountable if they chose to pursue nuclear weapons. Obama has pressed Pyongyang to return to suspended six-party talks on dismantling its nuclear program. North Korea's release of two U.S. journalists to former President Bill Clinton could signal a diplomatic opening.

MUSLIMS AND THE MIDDLE EAST

* Obama pledged to make reviving the Middle East peace process a priority. In a speech in Cairo in May, he sought to mend ties with Muslims angered by Bush policies. Like many of his predecessors, he appointed a Middle East special envoy and has met with the key regional players. But there has been no measurable progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his speech to the U.N. General Assembly, Obama bluntly said that Israelis and Palestinians should relaunch negotiations on the most intractable issues.

GUANTANAMO

* Obama pledged days after taking office to close the prison camp for foreign terrorism suspects by January 2010. But administration officials have said this goal may not be met because of problems finding places to send or house the prisoners. Some critics of the prison, opened by Bush in 2002 and long criticized for denying inmates due process, were dismayed when Obama said earlier this year that some Guantanamo prisoners may be kept in detention indefinitely.