Given the threats it faces, from nuclear-armed autocracies to terrorists, the United States cannot afford to scale back its military, argues Paul Miller. Micah Zenko and Michael Cohen reply that the danger of these challenges is vastly exaggerated and that an overly militarized foreign policy has not made the country safer.

President Obama and Russian president Putin gave this joint statement on June 18, 2012.

Regardless of the outcome of the presidential runoff elections, the Egyptian military is seeking to assert control to protect its privileges, says CFR's Steven A. Cook.

This New York Times Magazine piece investigates how the world's most powerful drug traffickers run their billion-dollar business.

Ongoing violence and corruption in Iraq since the U.S. military pullout could augur a return to full-on sectarian strife and continued poor governance, says CFR's Ned Parker.

Two groups wage a bitter fight for control over the West African nation, writes Andy Morgan for al-Jazeera.

Any action Brazil takes in Africa should be based on peaceful cooperation and not military escalation, writes Nikolas Kozloff.

Julia E. Sweig dissects the international quandary over the humanitarian implications of violence in Syria.

Nuclear talks with Iran are unlikely to lead to a deal in the short term, but they have had some impact: easing tensions and calming oil markets, says CFR's Richard Falkenrath.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres explains how the increasing number of new crises around the world, in areas such as Syria, Sudan/South Sudan, and Mali, has revealed that the capacity of the international community to present conflict is considerably limited.

This meeting is part of the Arthur C. Helton Memorial Lecture series, which was established by the Council and the family of Arthur C. Helton, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who died in the August 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad. The Helton Lectureship is an annual event at which one or more speakers address pressing issues in the broad field of human rights and humanitarian concerns.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) discusses his points of views on current events, such as the situation in Syria, the Arab Spring and the current state of Affairs in Egypt, and Iran's nuclear weapons program and the debate over an Israeli military strike.

The weekend massacre near Houla that has galvanized international outrage may spark a stronger Russian stand against the Assad regime, says Syria expert Mona Yacoubian.

Kofi Annan, Joint Special Envoy for the United Nations and the League of Arab States, drew up this six-point peace plan for Syria. It was submitted to the UN in March 2012 and on March 27 the Syrian government accepted the proposal. The ceasefire came in to effect on April 12, 2012 but as reported by the UN and other bodies, has not been honored.

After a year of unrest and violence, Syria's political crisis is characterized by dilemmas and contradictions. Members of Congress continue to evaluate possible U.S. policy approaches towards the Syrian crisis, write Jeremy M. Sharp and Christopher M. Blanchard in this Congressional Research Service report.

G8 leaders released this statement on the Deauville Partnership with Arab Countries in Transition at the G8 summit in Maryland on May 19, 2012.

A Pew Research Center report reveals growing opposition to the possibility of a nuclear armed Iran, but finds that nations still support imposing tougher economic sanctions versus military intervention.

President Obama gave these remarks at the Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security in Washington, DC on May 18, 2012.

Senior U.S. officials gave this press briefing at the G8 summit in Maryland on May 18, 2012.