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MUST READS
A sortable index of the best online analyses and inquiries on foreign policy.
July 2009
Ronald E. Neumann, a former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, details the situation there with regards to a range of issues from the promotion of good governance to the development of Afghan national security forces.
See more in Afghanistan, Nation Building
June 30, 2009
In this opinion piece Jawad Al Bolani, the interior minister of Iraq, writes that the June 30th withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq's major cities is the start of a highly uncertain period for Iraqi democracy rather than a historical endpoint to be celebrated.
See more in Iraq, Democracy and Human Rights
June 25, 2009
Eight former Secretaries of State jointly argue that national security requires more sufficient personnel in this article on funding for development and diplomacy.
See more in National Security and Defense, U.S. Strategy and Politics
June 23, 2009
The UN Secretary General's report looks at the situation in Afghanistan in terms of security, development, governance, and human rights.
See more in Afghanistan, Nation Building
June 22, 2009
This article and interactive timeline highlights the events that made 1979 a seminal year in world history with reverberations still felt, from Iran's Islamic revolution to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.
June 17, 2009
In this opinion piece Ramin Jahanbegloo, an Iranian dissident living in exile, characterizes the post-election dissent in Iran as a turning point in its history that highlights the generation gap evident in its society.
June 16, 2009
Barbara Slavin writes that the aftermath of Iran's controversial elections will tarnish the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's reputation and stature at home.
June 16, 2009
In this Op-Ed piece, Danielle Pletka and Ali Alfoneh characterize Iran's latest elections as the final step in a military coup d'état.
June 15, 2009
Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett write that dismissing Ahmadinejad's reelection as fraud ignores several salient facts, and point out evidence supporting the assertion that the election results are legitimate.
June 14, 2009
The former deputy chief of the U.S. delegation to the six-party talks on North Korea during the Bush administration shares his observations on Kim Jong Il's true intentions and goals.
See more in North Korea, Proliferation
Explore international efforts to curb nuclear proliferation with a new interactive from CFR's program on International Institutions and Global Governance.
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In War of Necessity, War of Choice, Richard N. Haass contrasts the decisions that shaped the conduct of two wars between the United States and Iraq involving the two presidents Bush and Saddam Hussein, and writes an authoritative, personal account of how U.S. foreign policy is made, what it should seek, and how it should be pursued.
In Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know, Julia E. Sweig presents a remarkably accessible portrait of Cuba’s unique place on the world stage over the past fifty years, including its internal politics, its often fraught relationship with the United States, and its shifting relationship with the global community.
As Ray Takeyh shows in Guardians of the Revolution, behind the famous personalities and extremist slogans of Iran is a nation that is far more pragmatic—and complex—than many in the West have been led to believe.
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This report finds that nuclear weapons will remain a fundamental element of U.S. national security in the near term, and makes recommendations on how to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. deterrent nuclear force, prevent nuclear terrorism, and strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime.
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The Canadian oil sands present an important challenge to policymakers: they promise energy security benefits but present climate change problems. Michael A. Levi assesses the energy security and climate change effects of the oil sands and makes recommendations for U.S. policymakers within the context of broader bilateral relations with Canada.
This report explores an important element of the maritime policy regime: the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Author Scott G. Borgerson examines the international negotiations that led to the convention, the history of debates in the United States over whether to join it, and the strategic importance of the oceans for U.S. foreign policy today.
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