Shannon K. O'Neil says, "[American] perceptions reflect the Mexican reality that dominates headlines: soaring crime rates and gruesome murders in a war against drug traffickers. But this window into Mexico overlooks an economic transformation and deepening ties with the United States that reflect a dramatically different country."

Elliott Abrams says, "The next three to six months in the Middle East will make Obama administration officials look back to 2012 with nostalgia as a quiet time when they were able to focus on the campaign. The coming year will be much tougher—starting now."

Throughout the Middle East, Micah Zenko finds blistering criticisms of U.S. foreign policy alongside serious misunderstandings about the limits of American power.

Joshua Kurlantzick examines how the Obama administration relies on the Pentagon to serve as diplomatic interlocutor in Southeast Asia and argues against U.S. military cooperation with the region's most oppressive countries.

In this IIGG Working Paper, the authors argue that the United States should initiate a new phase of democratic internationalism based on the "pull of success rather than the push of power."

American diplomacy has changed dramatically in the past few decades, and has taken on a more conflict-prone direction, according to this New York Times piece.

President Obama gave this press conference at the White House on November 14, 2012.

In his upcoming term President Barack Obama will have to adopt a softer stance on many issues in the Middle East to avoid conflict that could have large domestic implications.

Max Boot says David Petraeus's intellectualism was crucial to the U.S. military. Now the nation loses his skills.

President Obama gave these remarks regarding the fiscal cliff on November 9, 2012.

House Speaker John Boehner gave these remarks regarding the fiscal cliff on November 9, 2012.

In the aftermath of the 2012 U.S. elections, Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei comments on and compares the political systems in the U.S. and China.

"Principled compromise, prioritizing China, compassion, democracy-support, addressing detainee and drone policy as blemishes on our brand, and re-balancing soft and hard power tools ought to be touchstones of a post-2012 GOP foreign policy," says Mark P. Lagon.

Analyzing the relevance of the electoral college in the 2012 presidential election, Julia E. Sweig says, "Although slavery has since been abolished and we have universal suffrage, this unfair electoral college system painfully, and somewhat quaintly, lives on."

In the Middle East, there is a perception that President Obama and the United States cannot be relied upon. But Obama's reelection is now an opportunity for the president to show his leadership and reliability in the region, says Ed Husain.

In the coming months after his reelection, President Obama faces a number of Middle East crises, the most pressing of which are Iran and Syria, says Elliott Abrams.

President Obama gave this victory speech on November 7, 2012 in Chicago, after winning the presidential election.

For Senate Democrats, 2012 will be a chance to push through an ambitious agenda.

This is the first presidential election since 1928 that features candidates with no military experience. Matthew Stevenson explores the effect this has on foreign policy.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave this concession speech on November 7, 2012.