The winner of the presidential election will face at least three sets of energy challenges: continuing to reduce oil dependence, increasing U.S. supplies sustainably, and addressing acute crises such as supply disruptions, says CFR's Michael Levi.

The Hamas-Fatah unity deal reflects Palestinian efforts to find new patrons and new sources of support in the region, says CFR's Robert M. Danin.

CFR's James M. Lindsay discusses Nelson Mandela's release from prison in February 1990 and his subsequent rise to the presidency to show how individuals shape history.

The Russian and Chinese veto of a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to violence in Syria calls into question the viability of the Responsibility to Protect doctrine and poses a dilemma for the Obama administration, says CFR's Stewart Patrick.

Steve Coll, Robert Grenier, and Daniel Markey look at changes in U.S.-Pakistan relations over the past year and make recommendations for moving forward.

The newly announced U.S. plan to end its combat mission in Afghanistan by mid-2013 could make it more difficult to realize the chief goal of helping Afghan national forces become self-sufficient, says CFR's Stephen Biddle.

Drug trafficking, changing immigration trends, and rising economic opportunities are the major issues the winner of the 2012 U.S. presidential election faces in dealing with Latin America, says CFR's Shannon O'Neil.

The U.S.-Saudi relationship has become increasingly strained since the onset of the Arab awakening, and Iran's nuclear ambitions could pose further challenges, says expert F. Gregory Gause III.

CFR's James M. Lindsay recalls the 1968 Tet Offensive in Vietnam and the importance of managing public expectations amid major foreign policy initiatives.

Ambassador David Scheffer and former State Department legal adviser John Bellinger discuss how international justice over the last two decades has affected international politics, including the U.S. role in assisting local war crimes prosecutions in Libya and elsewhere.

Leading regional experts Gregory Gause, III and Toby C. Jones assess the stability of Saudi Arabia, its role in the reshaped region, and the future of U.S.-Saudi relations.

The winner of the 2012 U.S. presidential race will have to make critical decisions on Afghanistan, including how to support and fund Afghan forces as well as possible concessions to the Taliban, says CFR's Stephen Biddle.

Iraqi filmmaker Oday Rasheed discusses his second film, Qarantina, which follows the story of a broken family in Baghdad who takes in a mysterious boarder.

Qarantina is part of the Global Lens 2012 film series and was co-presented with the Global Film Initiative.

The European Union's embargo on Iranian oil may bring Iran to the negotiating table but is unlikely to halt its controversial nuclear program, says CFR's Matthew Kroenig.

CFR's James M. Lindsay remembers the seizure of the USS Pueblo in 1968 and discusses the idea that raw power does not always ensure success in foreign policy.

Obiageli Ezekwesili discusses the rise of Africa as a frontier market, the prospects for growth in coming years, the emergence of new players in African economies, and the World Bank's most innovative projects in the region.

The United Nations is facing a growing range of transnational challenges in a time of increasingly scarce resources. Ambassador Joseph Torsella, U.S. representative to the United Nations for management and reform, discusses the U.S. role in working toward a more effective and efficient United Nations.

The next president will be forced to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in "a different Middle East context," as possible leadership transitions on both sides as well as ongoing regional changes will affect the context in which the peace process is pursued, says CFR's Robert M. Danin.

CFR's James M. Lindsay remembers John F. Kennedy's inaugural address and discusses the importance of balancing costs and benefits in foreign policy

David F. Gordon, Mark L. Schneider, and Paul B. Stares discuss their respective organization's assessments of the risks and the most worrisome sources of instability and conflict in 2012.