The winner of the 2012 presidential election will continue to rely on the UN as a foreign policy tool to serve U.S. interests, but navigating the U.S.-UN relationship will be one of the president's biggest foreign policy challenges, says CFR's Stewart M. Patrick.

A second tier of middle-income powers is emerging beyond the BRICS alliance of Brazil, India, China, Russia and South Africa. CFR's Stewart M. Patrick discusses how these countries complicate traditional conceptions of East vs. West and developed vs. developing nations.

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.

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.

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

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.

The UN Human Rights Council is emerging as an increasingly relevant player in the Syrian crisis. CFR's Stewart M. Patrick highlights five things to know about the revived global human rights forum.

CFR's James M. Lindsay remembers the ratification of the Articles of Confederation and discusses the difficulty inherent in writing a workable constitution.

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 U.S. presidential election will face at least three sets of climate challenges including reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, facing international pressure, and developing climate-friendly technology, says CFR's Michael Levi.

CFR's James M. Lindsay recalls the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and discusses the balance between civil liberties and national security.

As Mexico prepares to welcome the first meeting of G20 foreign ministers this weekend, CFR's Stewart M. Patrick highlights five things to know about the world's steering body for global financial cooperation.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.