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.

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.

Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan gave these remarks at the meeting of the Action Group on Syria in Geneva, Switzerland on June 30, 2012.

The UN-backed Action Group for Syria released this communiqué on June 30, 2012.

Secretary of State Clinton gave this press conference following the meeting of the Action Group on Syria, on June 30, 2012 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Whoever wins Mexico's presidential election will need to jumpstart economic growth, work toward energy reform, and deal with a violent drug war, says CFR's Shannon K. O'Neil.

Shannon K. O'Neil examines pledges by Mexico's presidential candidates to shift drug war priorities from arresting traffickers to reducing horrific violence.

As the United States prepares to exit Afghanistan, it is focusing too much on security, overlooking the political elements of the transition, write two former senior U.S. officials.