In the wake of the deadly attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya, Bobby Ghosh writes that the newly-formed democratic governments which replaced long-standing dictatorships, as a result of the Arab Spring, has contributed to greater instability and a more chaotic and unstable Middle East.

Moscow's anti-Putin protesters have captured the world's attention. But does their message resonate outside the big cities?

As a referendum on Scotland's independence looms, the question of the region's place in the United Kingdom has become the most pressing issue in British politics.

Isobel Coleman and Ed Husain discuss the details surrounding the recent attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and how these attacks could alter U.S. diplomacy and future assistance.

This report explains the current situation of Libya's post-conflict transition, the challenges facing the interim Libyan leadership, and the current issues that Congress must debate.

This new report on diversity in America finds that almost all communities—whether large immigrant gateways or small towns in the nation's heartland—have grown more diverse.

In this Contingency Planning Memorandum, Patrick D. Duddy argues that the United States should prepare for the possibility of political unrest surrounding Venezuela's 2012 presidential election.

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.

The Department of State released its annual International Religious Freedom Report on July 30, 2012; it covers the year 2011.

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."