Instead of continuing their endless battling, the United States and Pakistan should acknowledge that their interests simply do not converge enough to make them strong partners. Giving up the fiction of an alliance would free up Washington to explore new ways of achieving its goals in South Asia. And it would allow Islamabad to finally pursue its regional ambitions -- which would either succeed once and for all or, more likely, teach Pakistani officials the limitations of their country's power.

The election of the hawkish Shinzo Abe as Japan's prime minister has the world worrying that Tokyo is about to part with its pacifist strategy of the last 70 years. But Japan's new leaders are pragmatic, and so long as the United States does not waver in its commitment to the country's defense, they are unlikely chart a new course.

After World War II, Europe began a process of peaceful political unification unprecedented there and unmatched anywhere else.

On January 19, 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao issued a joint statement at the end of Hu's visit to Washington.

Two recent books on the Israeli settlements explore their corrosive effect on Zionism and Israeli society.

Over the past two years, China's foreign policy has become more belligerent. But Washington should not wish for a weaker Beijing.

In deciding whether to impose preconditions before negotiating with an enemy, governments should make sure two criteria are satisfied.

This module features teaching notes by Mona Yacoubian, coauthor of the Council Special Report Dealing with Damascus, along with other resources to supplement the text. In this report, Mona Yacoubian and Scott Lasensky argue that the U.S. approach of isolating and undermining the Syrian regime has largely failed. The authors suggest that diplomatic engagement with Syria would be a more effective means of accomplishing U.S. goals in the region.

Palestinians' UN bid for statehood recognition has both perils and benefits for the languishing Mideast peace process, experts say. It could escalate regional tensions, but it has added urgency to reopening negotiations.

U.S.-Pakistan tensions over a U.S. Embassy employee accused of murder point to the challenges of balancing a long-term partnership with short-term priorities. Analysts say Washington should focus on opening trade and other strategies that help Pakistanis.

The recent WikiLeaks disclosures have further shaken U.S.-Pakistan relations. Experts say Pakistan's security establishment must break ties with all militant groups for this partnership to be sustainable in the long term.

Talks in Geneva over Iran's nuclear program ended with Tehran vowing to cooperate with UN inspectors. However, analysts remain divided on how lasting the gains will be.

The Obama administration has agreed to talks with Iran. Analysts are divided on whether dialogue will move the needle on nuclear negotiations, or strengthen calls for tougher action.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has sought to advance burgeoning strategic ties with India in a high-profile visit. The most substantive outcome of her trip could be new economic links, say some analysts.

In Moscow, President Barack Obama will focus on improving U.S.-Russia relations, which suffered during the final years of the Bush administration. But analysts say moving beyond rhetoric toward substantive change could be complicated by history and competing interests.

President Obama's address to Muslims in Cairo aimed to prepare the ground for new engagement with Muslims to get beyond tensions stirred by war, terrorism, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Barack Obama's inauguration as forty-fourth U.S. president occurs at a time of global economic crisis, with multiple conflicts raging in the greater Middle East. Yet he enters office amid high expectations at home and abroad.

North Korea has resisted efforts to divulge the full scale of its nuclear program, despite U.S. concessions, but President-elect Barack Obama faces little alternative to the troubled policy of engagement.

As Washington embarks on a strategic review of the mission in Afghanistan, a new Saudi diplomatic initiative has raised the once unthinkable prospect of talks with the Taliban. Meanwhile, pessimism and frustration test the patience of NATO allies.

U.S. military activity in the Pakistani border region is complicating an already tense relationship between Washington and Islamabad.