Council on Foreign Relations

George P. Shultz discusses his distinguished career and government service, from the Nixon and Reagan administrations to academia, and shares his thoughts on the present and future foreign policy directions for the United States.

Dan Coats, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, discusses how U.S. foreign policy objectives are affected by the federal budget and ongoing debt concerns.

The 2012 Arthur Ross Book Award event honors gold medal recipient John Lewis Gaddis for his book George F. Kennan: An American Life, as well as silver medalist Jason Stearns and honorable mention Daniel Yergin.

Experts analyze the current state of the global economic system.

Former Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair and CFR Douglas Dillon Fellow Micah Zenko discuss U.S. drone strike policies, how they have affected U.S. security interests, and how President Obama should reform them in the future.

Ellen Bork, director of Democracy and Human Rights at the Foreign Policy Initiative, leads a conversation on the relationship between China and Tibet and the ongoing religious persecution in Tibet.

Ash Jain and David F. Gordon discuss the merits of a D10 composed of like-minded and capable democracies from around the world as a mechanism to pursue shared democratic interests and deepen strategic cooperation to face the challenges of today's world.

Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, discusses the influence of the United States on common and organized crime in Central America, and offers policy recommendations for what the United States could do domestically and internationally to mitigate the violence.

Arch Puddington presents Freedom House's "Freedom in the World 2013" report, followed by a discussion between Tamara Wittes and Larry Diamond. They discuss the text of the report, as well as the differences between democratic indicators within nations, regional trends, and the normative importance of the "Arab Spring."

Hina Rabbani Khar, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan's minister for foreign affairs, discusses U.S.-Pakistan relations, counterterrorism, and Afghanistan.

Paul B. Stares, David F. Gordon, and Mark L. Schneider discuss conflicts that could break out or escalate in 2013.

Linda Robinson, Public Policy Scholar with the Wilson Center, discusses her essay in Foreign Affairs, "The Future of Special Operations," with the magazine's managing editor Jonathan Tepperman.

The discussion outlines a new U.S. grand strategy focused on reinvigorating solidarity between the United States and established democracies in defense of a world based on liberal principles and the rule of law.

Shanker A. Singham, chairman of the International Roundtable on Trade and Competition Policy, leads a conversation on how government-imposed anticompetitive market distortions harm U.S. exports and state and local economies.

Drawing on lessons learned from his distinguished diplomatic career, Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker discusses women's integral role in peacemaking and peacekeeping, with a focus on Afghanistan.

This session is part of the What's New in Women, Peace, and Security: From Theory to Practice Workshop.

Vittorio Grilli, Italy's minister of economy and finance, discusses recent economic developments in Italy and the eurozone.

Reza Aslan, CFR's adjunct senior fellow, leads a conversation on Iran and its role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mike Duke, president and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., discusses the role of business in sustainability, women's economic empowerment, food security, and the global middle class.

Director General Amano discusses challenges facing the IAEA, including action plans for global nuclear safeguards and security.

Astrid Pregel, Anabella Ruiz de Freeman, and Elizabeth Vazquez discuss the opportunities and challenges to integrating women-owned businesses into global supply chains.