This CFR Issue Guide provides expert analysis and essential background on some of the central issues facing Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, and Yemen, as the Arab Spring enters a critical new phase.

As the Internet continues to evolve as a medium for social and economic exchange, four experts suggest ways for the United States to improve its cyber competitiveness in the global marketplace.

U.S. policymakers tout the death of radical Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki as a victory for counterterrorism operations, but the episode highlights controversial aspects of the expanding targeted killing policy.

Pakistan has emerged as a terrorist sanctuary for some of the world's most violent groups, including al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and homegrown militants, that threaten the stability of Pakistan as well as the region.

This CFR Issue Guide provides expert analysis and essential background on the central questions facing U.S. policymakers ten years after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Within days of the 9/11 attacks, Congress authorized U.S. military and intelligence agencies to kill and detain terrorists. It is time to revise that authority on matters like detentions and drone attacks, says CFR's John B. Bellinger III.

The steady theft of U.S. intellectual property by foreign cyberattackers could mean decreased economic growth, reduced competitiveness, and loss of jobs, says McAfee cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch.

International financial market upheaval continues in response to eurozone worries and the U.S. Fed's decision to keep its benchmark rate near zero until mid-2013. Analysts are divided on whether the Fed's move will curb volatility.

A tumultuous week in global markets that saw major indexes plunge aroused concerns of a double-dip recession driven by U.S. economic lethargy and the European Union's resurgent sovereign debt crisis.

While a last-minute deal was able to raise the U.S. debt ceiling ahead of default, global investors are frustrated by the unnecessary brush with crisis and by the culture of U.S. political brinkmanship. The long-term impact on U.S. treasuries is unclear.

As partisan wrangling over the U.S. debt ceiling continues in Washington, fears are mounting that a default could trigger another global economic crisis. This guide offers timely analysis on the global implications of the U.S. debt crisis.

Britain's phone-hacking scandal is raising questions about the power and reach of Rupert Murdoch's media empire. For Columbia University's Nicholas Lemann, the episode proves the value of expanding public media.

Defense-spending cuts should be a big part of a deficit reduction deal, says CFR's Richard Betts, with the Pentagon pursuing a budget that reflects a reduced threat environment and limits the production of expensive, state-of-the-art equipment.

The Pentagon's new strategy for operating in cyberspace breaks little ground and offers few specifics, says CFR's Adam Segal. While the last six months have been busy for U.S. cybersecurity policy, he cautions that "speed is not a measure of efficacy."

With the deadline looming for resolving the U.S. debt standoff, concern is rising among international creditors and markets about the largest economy and home of the world's reserve currency.

The International Monetary Fund, both criticized and lauded for its efforts to promote financial stability, finds itself again in the forefront of global economic crisis management. This Backgrounder examines the Fund's history and role.

Is U.S. involvement in Afghanistan a mission to build a stable Afghan state or eliminate the al-Qaeda threat? As a decision nears on U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, lawmakers are making new calls for clarity, adding to the debate over the war's endgame.

U.S. drone strikes and "kill/capture" missions against al-Qaeda operatives, particularly in Pakistan and Yemen, have gained new attention and notoriety this spring. Four experts debate the legality and efficacy of the controversial counterterrorism strategy.

Foreign governments, non-state actors, and criminal networks are targeting the digital networks of the United States with increasing frequency and sophistication. U.S. cybersecurity has made progress, but relies heavily on the private sector to secure infrastructure critical to national security.

Osama bin Laden's death has raised pointed questions over the legitimacy of Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts and the viability of its relationship with the United States. Four experts discuss whether, and on what terms, the United States should continue aiding Pakistan.