With a chill setting in on the Geneva-based world trade talks, the Bush administration has shifted into high gear on negotiating smaller free trade agreements. But there are mixed views on how much the new deals matter and what they are doing to the global trading system.

Tension and instability simmer in Afghanistan as NATO prepares to expand its military presence into the south, where a resurgent Taliban is launching attacks. Against this backdrop, a traffic accident involving U.S. military vehicles sparked deadly riots in Kabul.

A divided Montenegro voted Sunday to separate from Serbia. The referendum could open a final chapter in the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia.

After a few moderate successes, the UN reform process has run into trouble over efforts to change the way the organization funds its programs. The dispute pits the UN's richest and most powerful states against a large group of developing nations.

The White House has dismissed a letter sent by President Ahmadinejad, the first formal contact between the leaders of the U.S. and Iran in over a quarter century.

Global trade negotiators have reached an impasse on efforts to reduce barriers on farm goods. Without a deal soon, experts fear it may be too late to rescue the "Doha Development Round," posing risks to the credibility of the World Trade Organization.

Former Pentagon official Paul Wolfowitz is now reveling in the role of reformer at the World Bank, where he has made corruption a major theme of his first year as chief. But fighting corruption, like building democracy, may be the work of generations.

Washington has waged a difficult battle to reform the UN’s chief rights body while facing challenges to its role as rights watchdog.

The UN Security Council is trying to agree on the proper course of action toward Iran's nuclear program. Despite the myriad proposed strategies for dealing with Tehran, continued negotiations seem most likely.

UN negotiators have produced a proposal for revamping the UN's top human rights body. But U.S. opposition to the proposal, which it says will not prevent repressive states from joining, could slow the UN rights reform process.

With UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan due to step down at the end of 2006, the next year will be a time of reflection for the world body and its attempts at reform.

Stewart Patrick writes about the theoretical and practical implications of significant changes to the international political system over the past two decades in Geir Lundestad's International Relations Since the End of the Cold War: New and Old Dimensions.

Edward Alden writes that the U.S.-European Union Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations are "the biggest consolation prize in the history of international trade liberalization."

In light of Afghan president Karzai's recent comments, Leslie H. Gelb advocates an expedited withdrawal from Afghanistan.

With the recent revelation of a United Nations inquiry into U.S. drone strikes policies and practices, Micah Zenko says the UN has actually been investigating U.S. drones for ten years—but to no effect.

Tikki Pang and Laurie Garrett argue that the World Health Organization is facing an unprecedented crisis that threatens its position as the premier international health agency, and to ensure its leading role, it must rethink its internal governance and revamp its financing mechanisms.

Charles A. Kupchan argues that the Atlantic alliance is remarkably resilient, but it must now face the urgent challenge of economic and political weakness that has descended upon the West.

Charles A. Kupchan argues that unless the growing gap between governance and governed is resolved, the EU may be headed for fragmentation, if not outright dissolution.

Colonel Gregory K. James, USA; Colonel Larry Holcomb, USMC; and Colonel Chad T. Manske, USAF argue that the success of Operation ODYSSEY DAWN, despite its complexity, validates joint planning processes, joint education foundations, joint training opportunities, and joint exercises.

Matthew C. Waxman discusses the lawsuit challenging U.S. participation in the Libyan military mission.