In Venezuela's upcoming elections, President Hugo Chavez—suffering from poor health—faces his strongest challenger yet. Former ambassador Patrick D. Duddy argues that the United States should prepare for political unrest.

The growing likelihood of a protracted civil war in Syria does not necessarily warrant Western military intervention, which could "cause more damage, chaos, and instability than not," says Assad biographer David Lesch.

A history of targeted killings and the U.S. policy stance toward their use in military practices.

In an interview with Politico, Romney discusses issues ranging from his likeability to Obama's upcoming convention speech and his approach to the presidency.

The NYPD's new "Domain Awareness System" raises familiar questions about privacy and transparency that are likely to spark a debate at multiple levels of government, writes CFR's Matthew Waxman.

Al-Qaeda may become the Free Syrian Army's most potent weapon against the Assad regime, but its collaboration with rebel forces poses serious risks for the country's future, says CFR's Ed Husain.

Jerome A. Cohen says China's unfair criminal justice system makes a harsh sentence all but certain for Gu Kailai, the wife of Bo Xilai who is charged with murdering a British businessman.

Meghan O'Sullivan says Mexican oil reforms are critical to both the United States and Mexico, and both countries will benefit from success -- or suffer from failure.

This meeting is part of the symposium entitled Imagine the Unimaginable: Ending Genocide in the 21st Century, sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and CNN.

This meeting is part of the symposium entitled Imagine the Unimaginable: Ending Genocide in the 21st Century, sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and CNN.

Russian President Putin, mistrustful of Western motives, is likely to resist pressure to commit to stronger sanctions against Syria's government, says expert Dimitri Simes.

Hillary Clinton's trip highlights the diplomatic challenges ahead with Egypt as President Morsi and the military engage in a struggle for power, says expert Shadi Hamid.

This weekend's successful nationwide elections are a major first step in a long process of building new political and civic institutions, says CFR's Isobel Coleman.

Will civil war hit Afghanistan when the U.S. leaves?

Jagdish Bhagwati weighs the fate of the Indian National Congress, which he says is plagued by scandals, a worsening economy, and growing dissatisfaction with the Nehru-Gandhi "brand."

The Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework was adopted at the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan in Japan on July 8, 2012.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave these remarks at the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan on July 8, 2012.

Jerome A. Cohen argues that by systematically undermining an accused person's right to effective counsel, as and when it is deemed necessary, China is only harming its own efforts to win foreign admirers.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave these remarks at the July 6, 2012 Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial meeting in Paris, France.

Egypt's newly sworn in President Mohamed Morsi will have to tackle everything from setting a rocky economy back on course to combining reform efforts with placating a powerful military, says expert Daniel Brumberg.