Following their return from South Sudan with the Enough Project, George Clooney and John Prendergast assess the in-country situation in the year since southern Sudan's independence referendum, with Andudu Adam Elnail, Anglican bishop of Kadugli, Sudan, and Omer Ismail, Darfur activist and senior adviser at the Enough Project.

CFR's James M. Lindsay remembers Adolf Hitler's announcement in 1935 that he would reintroduce conscription in Germany, and discusses instances when a country should be confronted rather than accommodated.

Undersecretary of Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Robert D. Hormats addresses the CFR's Council of Councils inaugural conference.

The Council of Councils is an international initiative designed to connect leading foreign policy institutes from around the worked in a common conversation on issues of global governance and multilateral cooperation. The initiative is funded by a generous grant from the Robina Foundation.

On International Women's Day, Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch discusses why women are losing in the movement for change in the Arab uprisings and how the international community can help.

The winner of the 2012 U.S. presidential election will risk "unpleasant surprises" if he fails to pay sufficient attention to Africa, says CFR's John Campbell.

Ash Carter, deputy secretary of defense, explains how the United States is transforming its military and defense strategy as a result of financial cut backs.

CFR's James M. Lindsay remembers the firebombing of Tokyo during World War II and discusses the destructive power of conventional weapons.

On the eve of the Russian elections, Masha Gessen, journalist and author of The Man Without A Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin, and Stephen Sestanovich, CFR's George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, sat down to discuss Putin's strategy and public response.

North Korea may be on the verge of a "transformative moment," which will require the time, attention, and resources of the winner of the U.S. presidential election, says CFR's Scott Snyder.

Leon Aron, Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., and Stephen Sestanovich assess recent demonstrations of public discontent in the Russian streets and discuss the future of the country, its leaders, and U.S.-Russia relations.

The protests sweeping Afghanistan over the burning of Qurans at a U.S. base may spread to other Muslim countries unless U.S. and NATO officials act swiftly, says CFR's Ed Husain.

The winner of the 2012 presidential election faces an important leadership test on trade, which will have challenges and opportunities, says CFR's Thomas Bollyky, including leveling the playing field with China and finalizing the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

CFR's James M. Lindsay remembers Richard Nixon's historic trip to China in 1972 and discusses the importance of diplomacy in international relations.

Joseph Coughlin and Kelly Michel discuss how a healthy and active aging population can contribute to economic growth, and the public policy reform, new business strategies, and profound shifts in views on aging necessary to take advantage of this opportunity.

The U.S. visit of Vice President Xi Jinping occurs at a time of resurfacing tensions over trade and China's currency, says CFR's Sebastian Mallaby, but there is a formula for resolving each problem.

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.