As a top destination for foreign investment, the United States seeks to strike a balance between national security and its commitment to open markets, explains this Backgrounder.

The Obama administration's strongest case for intervening in Syria rests on the global security risks posed by the regime's suspected use of chemical weapons, says CFR's John B. Bellinger.

While the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has granted U.S. agencies broad legal authority to collect sensitive information, it is hardly a "rubber stamp" for government surveillance requests, says CFR's Matt Waxman.

Whether NSA leaker Edward Snowden is extradited to the United States will hinge more on diplomatic relations than international legal considerations, says expert Stephen Vladeck.

A new White House report alleging Syria's use of chemical weapons heightens the need for UN inspectors to be allowed to mount an independent investigation, says CFR's Greg Koblentz.

Conceived as principal defenders of the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps has evolved into a vast institution of political, economic, and military power.

Both the Bush and Obama administrations have sought to justify controversial domestic surveillance programs amid pointed criticism from Congress and rights activists, explains this Backgrounder.

Disclosures of Obama administration domestic intelligence activities have rekindled public discussion of the balance between counterterrorism efforts and civil liberties, as examined in this Issue Guide.

The U.S. government needs to marshal its cybersecurity resources in support of the private sector and build alliances with international partners, says former CIA director Michael Hayden, member of a new CFR independent task force on digital policy.

President Obama's counterterrorism speech made strides toward greater transparency but missed opportunities to articulate a vision for moving beyond a perpetual war footing, says CFR's John Bellinger.

U.S. missile defense in the twenty-first century is focused on emerging threats from North Korea and Iran, but critics say these systems are too costly and largely unproven, explains this Backgrounder.

The Boston Marathon bombings illustrate the stresses on domestic intelligence gathering and counterterrorism in a democratic system, says CFR's Richard Falkenrath.

The deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon raise anew the vulnerability of U.S. civilian targets and homeland security policy dilemmas, as examined in this CFR Issue Guide.

What is the Obama administration's legal justification for targeted killings? CFR national security expert John Bellinger explores this question as well as others with significant implications for U.S. counterterrorism.

A resurgent al-Qaeda in Iraq, allied with jihadist fighters in neighboring Syria, constitutes a considerable threat to regional security, explains this Backgrounder.

As the Pentagon attempts to refocus the U.S. military strategy toward Asia, the department is facing major budget constraints. Experts disagree on how to balance the fiscal challenge with the country's national security priorities.

Some experts believe al-Shabab is at its weakest point in years following an African-led counterinsurgency campaign, but others warn of the group's resiliency in an unstable Somalia.

Former Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair and CFR Douglas Dillon Fellow Micah Zenko discuss U.S. drone strike policies, how they have affected U.S. security interests, and how President Obama should reform them in the future.

Admiral Dennis Blair and CFR's Micah Zenko discuss U.S. drone strike policies.

Why do mass shootings, such as the December 2012 incident at a Connecticut elementary school, occur more frequently in the United States than other major democracies? This Backgrounder examines select countries.