Gayle Tzemach Lemmon weighs in on the U.S. government shutdown.

Mariano Rajoy, president of Spain, discusses Spanish foreign policy and the current state of U.S.-Spain relations.

The Obama administration is demonstrating a renewed interest in African economic partnerships after largely ignoring the continent during the president's first term. During his summer 2013 trip to Africa, President Obama articulated a policy focus on energy and business ventures. He announced that the United States would aim to expand sub-Saharan Africans' access to electricity and committed $7 billion over five years to the "Power Africa" initiative. He also vowed to send more trade missions to Africa and invite African leaders to a U.S. summit in 2014.

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A diplomatic dance will be no waltz for either Iran or America, writes CFR President Richard N. Haass.

"'[Putin's] worldview is that the world is in such a chaotic, incomprehensible state, that all attempts to influence it with direct action are counterproductive and only bring the opposite of the intended result,' says Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor of Russia in Global Affairs, who is seen as a good decoder of the Kremlin's thinking. Furthermore, the trope of U.S. obligation to do this or enforce that is more than galling to Putin, Lukyanov says. It is incomprehensible."

Elliott Abrams review Like Dreamers, by Yossi Kelin Halevi, for the Wall Street Journal.

Fred Kaplan urges the United States to work with Iranian president Rouhani in light of his speeches at the United Nations General Assembly this week.

Hassan Rouhani, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, discusses Iranian foreign policy.

Hassan Rouhani, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, discusses Iranian foreign policy.

Hassan Rouhani, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, discusses Iranian foreign policy.

Mohd Najib Razak, prime minister of Malaysia, discusses the Global Movement of Moderates that he established to oppose extremist ideology in all faith traditions.

Mariano Rajoy, president of Spain, discusses Spanish foreign policy and the current state of U.S.-Spain relations.

A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org: The threat of a U.S. government shutdown looms over Congress; Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the White House; and the twentieth anniversary of the Battle of Mogadishu is marked.

Abdullah Gül, president of the Republic of Turkey, gives his remarks on recent regional developments and provides perspective on current U.S.-Turkey relations.

Mohd Najib Razak, prime minister of Malaysia, discusses the Global Movement of Moderates that he established to oppose extremist ideology in all faith traditions.

Angela Merkel's resounding electoral triumph likely means stability and continuity in Eurozone crisis management and little chance of a larger German role in global security, says CFR's Charles Kupchan.

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon discusses former secretary of state Hillary Clinton's role in advancing women's rights on the U.S. foreign policy agenda.

Mariano Rajoy, president of Spain, discusses Spanish foreign policy and the current state of U.S.-Spain relations.

Abdullah Gül, president of the Republic of Turkey, gives his remarks on recent regional developments and provides perspective on current U.S.-Turkey relations.

Tension between senior civilian and military officials over where and how U.S. armed forces should be used has been visible in recent debates on intervention in Syria. Micah Zenko discusses reasons for and consequences of the civilian-military split.