Analytical briefs written by CFR.org's staff on issues of the day with links to the news, analysis, commentary, and primary source materials that put the facts in context.
International financial market upheaval continues in response to eurozone worries and the U.S. Fed's decision to keep its benchmark rate near zero until mid-2013. Analysts are divided on whether the Fed's move will curb volatility.
With markets rattled by the downgrade of U.S. debt, some experts fear running out of policy tools to prevent another global recession, while others are calling on government and central banks to improve fiscal and monetary policy coordination.
A tumultuous week in global markets that saw major indexes plunge aroused concerns of a double-dip recession driven by U.S. economic lethargy and the European Union's resurgent sovereign debt crisis.
The United States and some international partners are pressuring Damascus through the UN and other channels as the Assad regime crackdown on protesters intensifies. Expert opinion remains mixed on whether the Syrian government can be weakened.
While a last-minute deal was able to raise the U.S. debt ceiling ahead of default, global investors are frustrated by the unnecessary brush with crisis and by the culture of U.S. political brinkmanship. The long-term impact on U.S. treasuries is unclear.
As partisan wrangling over the U.S. debt ceiling continues in Washington, fears are mounting that a default could trigger another global economic crisis. This guide offers timely analysis on the global implications of the U.S. debt crisis.
Whatever the outcome of the debt ceiling debate, many analysts expect a downgrade in the U.S. debt rating because of doubts about deficit-reduction plans. The fallout could include higher borrowing costs, a weaker dollar, and market turbulence.
The recent killings in Norway highlight the rise of anti-Muslim, anti-immigration feelings in Europe and the U.S. that could impede tackling other forms of homegrown terrorism, say experts.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged to press Pakistan on terrorism and tried to ease New Delhi's worries over Afghanistan on her visit to India this week. But a deteriorating U.S.-Pakistan relationship decreases Washington's ability to influence Islamabad on terrorism issues, say experts.
With the deadline looming for resolving the U.S. debt standoff, concern is rising among international creditors and markets about the largest economy and home of the world's reserve currency.
A crackdown in Hama and Amnesty International's call for reporting Syria's government to the ICC place new focus on the Assad regime's stability, yet international response has been muted.
Heightened cross-border tensions and militant activity underscore the possible risks to the region as the United States prepares for its phased troop pullout from Afghanistan.
Despite the Greek parliament's approval of an austerity package, the country's enormous debt and EU countries' tortured debate over solutions raise concerns among some experts that default is unavoidable.
The International Criminal Court's warrants for the arrest of Libya's Qaddafi stir debate about whether they will facilitate or hinder his demise and about the effectiveness of the ICC itself.
As Syrian dissidents try to end the current violence, there is mounting concern over the consequences of growing unrest in a region already roiling with protest.
A debate over presidential war powers has refocused attention on the scope and purpose of the U.S. military role in Libya and what it means for policy toward other brutal Arab regimes.
U.S.-Pakistan ties are increasingly frayed following a string of high-profile counterterrorism incidents, but experts say U.S. aid to Pakistan should continue and that the security relationship remains vital.
The Syrian regime's intensifying crackdown on protesters has alarmed some countries in the region and stirred international concern, but there is little consensus about how to curb the violence and little appetite for military intervention.
Is U.S. involvement in Afghanistan a mission to build a stable Afghan state or eliminate the al-Qaeda threat? As a decision nears on U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, lawmakers are making new calls for clarity, adding to the debate over the war's endgame.
Special operations play a critical role in how the United States confronts irregular threats, but to have long-term strategic impact, the author argues, numerous shortfalls must be addressed.
The author analyzes the potentially serious consequences, both at home and abroad, of a lightly overseen drone program and makes recommendations for improving its governance.
The biggest threat to America's security and prosperity comes not from abroad but from within, writes CFR President Richard N. Haass in his provocative new book. More
Two experts argue that despite myriad development strategies, only one can succeed in alleviating poverty in India: the overall growth of the country's economy. More