Recent "insider attacks" on U.S. forces raise concerns about the Afghan security transition in 2014 and long-term U.S. support for local troops, says CFR's Stephen Biddle.

With debate raging about how to quell the Syrian crisis, Mideast expert Edward P. Djerejian says the U.S. role in the region, which is experiencing "tectonic" shifts, should focus on influencing positive change without trying to direct events.

The trial of a punk band in Russia reflects the Putin regime's hard-line opinions on political dissent, and those views are shaping its foreign policy, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

President Morsi's reshuffling of top military ranks rebalances political power toward the civilian regime but may unsettle minorities who had hoped the military would check the power of the Muslim Brotherhood, says CFR's Steven Cook.

With the London summer games at an end, economist Jose Ursua discusses whether or not Olympics have a financial impact for host cities, and the broader implications for the global economy.

Climatic conditions across the U.S. farm belt are triggering a rise in global food prices that threatens to fuel political unrest in developing countries, says CFR's Isobel Coleman.

China's global investment boom is slowing, which could affect its trading partners. But its economy does not have to be doomed to slow growth, says expert Patrick Chovanec.

The International AIDS Conference shows that challenges, such as funding and maintaining political will, likely means no short-term end to the epidemic, says CFR's Laurie Garrett.

A post-Assad Syria will likely create distinct challenges for each of its neighbors, including creating a major loss for Iran, says Michael Young of Lebanon's Daily Star.

As Israel's governing coalition collapses, Syria unravels and a deal to halt Iran's nuclear program remains elusive. CFR's Elliott Abrams discusses the mood in Israel.

Russian President Putin, mistrustful of Western motives, is likely to resist pressure to commit to stronger sanctions against Syria's government, says expert Dimitri Simes.

Hillary Clinton's trip highlights the diplomatic challenges ahead with Egypt as President Morsi and the military engage in a struggle for power, says expert Shadi Hamid.

Between enthusiasm for President Obama's pro-democracy message and appreciation for the Democratic Party's support for the anti-apartheid movement, South Africans strongly favor Obama's reelection, says Moeletsi Mbeki.

A proposed centralized banking supervisor could help stabilize Europe's struggling banks and increase vital capital flows within the euro area, says expert Domenico Lombardi.

The financial and political crisis facing Europe can only be redressed with further eurozone integration that the continent's publics may not be ready for, says CFR's Charles A. Kupchan.

This week's latest round of Iran talks seems to have done little to reconcile the two sides on the country's nuclear position, says CFR's Michael A. Levi.

Egypt's newly sworn in President Mohamed Morsi will have to tackle everything from setting a rocky economy back on course to combining reform efforts with placating a powerful military, says expert Daniel Brumberg.

Whoever wins Mexico's presidential election will need to jumpstart economic growth, work toward energy reform, and deal with a violent drug war, says CFR's Shannon K. O'Neil.

EU approval of a new proposal for a banking and fiscal union would help reassure global financial markets and alleviate the eurozone debt crisis, says Bruegel's Benedicta Marzinotto.

Vladimir Putin's Middle East trip was an effort to explain policies on Iran and Syria that have put it at odds with Israel and many Arab states, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.