"Ansaru's new salience represents another, serious challenge to Nigeria's stability," writes John Campbell.

France says it will withdraw from Mali once an African peacekeeping force is in place. To keep Islamists at bay, the United States is considering increasing its military presence in the region. A better approach is to focus on fixing the governance issues that fuel radicalism to begin with, says John Campbell.

The radical Islamist group Boko Haram has contributed to widespread and deadly violence in Nigeria, but the government sercurity services are also at fault, write CFR's John Campbell and Asch Harwood.

The worsening political crisis in Guinea will require stronger UN involvement and greater efforts on the part of African leaders to avoid what could become a civil war and a massive humanitarian crisis, says CFR's John Campbell.

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua's efforts to reform the oil and gas industry have the potential to upset the fragile Nigerian internal political balance among the regions, ethnic and religious groups, and patronage networks, writes John Campbell.

Ambassador John Campbell writes that under the presidency of Umaru Yar'adu, Nigeria is moving away from its corrupt system and towards the rule of law.

CFR's John Campbell says the new, more comprehensive policy for Sudan is "a positive development," and disagrees with those who say the approach offers engagement without requiring that the Sudanese government meet existing benchmarks.