The Congressional Research Service reports that for more than a decade, various experts have expressed increasing concerns about cybersecurity in light of the growing frequency, impact, and sophistication of attacks on information systems in the United States and abroad. Consensus has also been building that the current legislative framework for cybersecurity might need to be revised.

The Congressional Research Service looks at some of issues surrounding America's critical infrastructure, identifying critical assets, assessing vulnerabilities and risks, and appraising policies.

The United States will "increasingly seek partnerships with other like-minded countries [in the region] to ensure global stability, security, and prosperity." In a new volume of collected essays, CFR Senior Fellow Scott Snyder writes that one of the strongest partners for the United States is South Korea.

Shannon K. O'Neil discusses the role illegal immigration plays in the 2012 U.S. presidential race and says the rhetoric does not always match up to current immigration realities.

Frank Klotz argues that the closure of a military base is economically and emotionally difficult, but the U.S. military cannot afford to maintain facilities it no longer needs, especially in the midst of a budget crisis.

Richard A. Falkenrath says changes to national privacy law are essential to protect personal privacy in the age of pervasive social media and cloud computing--and Google's new privacy policy points even more firmly to the need for a right to be forgotten.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping gave these remarks on February 14, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Richard K. Betts, adjunct senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses his new book American Force: Dangers, Delusions, and Dilemmas in National Security.

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.

Elliott Abrams argues that President Obama's recent State of the Union address settled the matter on the existence of an Obama Doctrine.

This Congressional Research Service report describes the potential pitfalls of improperly managed defense budget cuts by recalling the notion of the "hollow force" in U.S. military history--a superficially battle-ready military force that, upon closer inspection, reveals itself to be inadequately prepared.

This Congressional Research Service report focuses on the legal issues of wartime detention, with special emphasis on how it applies to U.S. citizens and residents after September 11, 2001.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave these remarks at the 48th Munich Security Conference at the Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany on February 4, 2012.

Steve Coll, Robert Grenier, and Daniel Markey look at changes in U.S.-Pakistan relations over the past year and make recommendations for moving forward.

Colonel Chad T. Manske, USAF, says Western economies and capabilities are more inextricably linked than ever and warns against a policy shift away from U.S. security and interests in Europe.

Leslie H. Gelb says the Obama administration's announcement of a quick end to U.S. combat in Afghanistan is a surprise decision of strategic skill and political courage.

The U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy released the National Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy in January 2012. The press release states,

"The Strategy outlines new actions that seek to reduce the two-way flow of illicit drugs between the United States and Canada by increasing coordination among Federal, state, local, and tribal enforcement authorities, enhancing intelligence-sharing among counterdrug agencies, and strengthening our Nation's ongoing counterdrug partnerships and initiatives with the Government of Canada and Canadian law enforcement agencies."

James R. Clapper, U.S. Director of National Intelligence, gave these remarks to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on January 31, 2012 regarding the annual "Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community". The testimony covers terrorism threats, cyber attacks, counterintelligence, proliferation, mass atrocities, regional and country-by-country threats, and other state and non state intelligence threats such as health threats, water security and transnational crime.

Colonel Chad T. Manske, USAF, explains why now is not the time to retreat from Europe.

The U.S. Defense Strategic Guidance (DSG) reflects the reality that offshore balancing has jumped from the cloistered walls of academe to the real world of Washington policymaking, says Christopher Layne.