There is a well-known adage that politics stops at the water's edge, but this tends to be more hope than reality. American history is filled with examples in which political disagreement at home has made it difficult for the United States to act, much less lead, abroad.

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Gregory Koblentz weighs the U.S. foreign policy options toward Iran.

The League of Nations was championed by President Woodrow Wilson in a fourteen-point speech to a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1918, and formally began its operations in January 1920. However, the League failed to win Senate approval and is forever remembered as a major example of a communications breakdown between the president and the Senate.

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In a Room for Debate blog post for the New York Times, Isobel Coleman discusses Hillary Clinton's legacy as former secretary of state

"Going forward, the United States has no choice but to embrace the sound underpinnings of leading from behind," writes Leslie H. Gelb.

Micah Zenko explains why critics of U.S. targeted killing policies should not overlook "similar attacks conducted by allies and partners who receive U.S. money, weapons, or actionable intelligence."

A number of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Qatar, have been providing support to the opposition in various forms, ranging from humanitarian aid to military supplies, such as weapons, armor, and communication devices. However, these efforts have not been enough to turn the tide, and after three years of fighting, a diplomatic solution still seems unlikely.

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Only by getting its own house in order will the United States be in a position to set an example other societies will want to emulate, argues CFR President Richard N. Haass. And only by fixing itself will the United States possess the resources necessary to discourage or deal with the emergence of a serious political and military competitor.

The urge to gloat at America's imperfections and struggles ought to be resisted, says Richard N. Haass. The rest of the world's stake in American success is nearly as large as that of the United States itself.

"Behind the scenes diplomacy could encourage positive responses from concerned regional parties, Arab and Israeli, that would give them all something to talk about," writes Robert Danin.

CFR President Richard Haass calls on Americans to "resolve our political dysfunction, rethink our foreign policy and restore the foundations of American power—and in the process provide another century of American leadership."

Ray Takeyh examines examples of foreign policy failures turned success, including "the shift in U.S. containment policy during the early stages of the Truman presidency; the changed U.S. approach to the Vietnam War after Richard Nixon's 1968 election; and George W. Bush's surge in Iraq."

George J. Mitchell discusses his career in government, as part of the HBO History Makers Series.

Russia today may have less influence in the Middle East than previously, but it continues to have a stake in the region's stability and sees it as an area in which it has important national interests, often at variance with U.S. goals and objectives.

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Assistant Secretary Shapiro discusses the integration of diplomacy and defense in meeting national security challenges.

Micah Zenko examines the role of leadership in Washington's foreign policy discourse.

Elliott Abrams analyzes President Obama's news conference in Ramallah.

Elliott Abrams analyzes President Obama's speech in Jerusalem.

In 2012, the Obama administration announced a "pivot" to East Asia—a strategy that includes a focus on regional security alliances and a rebalance of U.S. military presence from Europe to the Asia-Pacific.

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Max Boot reflects on the tenth-anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.