Michael Gerson writes that, "like Lincoln or Martin Luther King Jr., Obama positioned himself as a conservative revolutionary" in his inaugural speech.

Daniel Markey offers some advice for the next U.S. special envoy to South Asia.

In this Vancouver Sun op-ed, Edward Alden says that while gridlock has been the norm in Washington, there are precedents for outbursts of creative and energetic government. Still, Americans' expectations for Obama face long odds.

Richard Haass looks at how President Obama might handle the extraordinary constraints he faces and what that means for the rest of the world.

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.

Federiga Bindi, Charles Kupchan, Justin Vaisse write that, "Sarkozy offered a brand of EU leadership that works, reviving the Union...the Obama administration should recognize this for what it is - the stirrings of the more capable and collective European partner that the United States so sorely needs."

Richard N. Haass discusses Iran's nuclear program and the Obama administration's options for diplomacy.

Leslie H. Gelb writes, "our diplomatic service no longer possesses the talent of the last fifty years. So Hillary has to look outside to the former great diplomats."