Shannon K. O'Neil says after Republicans' election-year drubbing, the United States has an historic opportunity to fix its broken immigration system. And the arguments against reform simply don't hold up anymore.

George P. Shultz discusses his distinguished career and government service, from the Nixon and Reagan administrations to academia, and shares his thoughts on the present and future foreign policy directions for the United States.

Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi presented this report at the United Nations Security Council on Janaury 29, 2013, to inform negotiations with Syria.

The expectation of dramatic change persists. The very anticipation of such change, even if it is unfounded, imparts a particular type of "meta-instability" to the Chinese system today.

With the recent revelation of a United Nations inquiry into U.S. drone strikes policies and practices, Micah Zenko says the UN has actually been investigating U.S. drones for ten years—but to no effect.

Though the results of Israel's recent election point to the creation of a new and potentially more conciliatory government, Steven A. Cook says tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara run too deeply for a single election to make much difference.

Benn Steil's column in Dow Jones' Financial News, co-authored with Dinah Walker, shows why last March's Greek debt restructuring left Greece in poor shape to avoid financial collapse

In order to gain more congressional support for national security and foreign policy measures, "The Obama administration will need to pick its legislative priorities more deliberately, engage with allies and opponents in Congress more actively, and be willing to negotiate compromises or wage aggressive campaigns on key issues," says Matthew C. Waxman.

China understands that its growth depends on imports, say Graham Allison and Robert D. Blackwill.

The argument for sustained U.S. diplomatic engagement with Havana has never been more compelling, says CFR's Julia Sweig.

In the nuclear dispute between Iran and the United States, a grand bargain is unlikely given the level of mistrust between the two parties. What's more realistic is a modest compromise that breaches the wall of mistrust and potentially sets the stage for further-reaching arms control measures, says Ray Takeyh.

Dan Coats, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, discusses how U.S. foreign policy objectives are affected by the federal budget and ongoing debt concerns.

Senator John Kerry gave these remarks during his confirmation hearing at the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, on January 24, 2013.

U.S. foreign policy is largely directed by presidents, but Congress does have considerable influence, as this CFR Backgrounder explains.

The Pentagon's decision to allow women in combat elates female veterans, who say all they are asking for is not guaranteed spots, but a chance to meet the same standards and have the same opportunities as men, says Gayle Tzemach Lemmon.

Ongoing arguments over U.S. immigration policy play out against concerns about curbing illegal immigration, changing demographics, and maintaining the country's global competitive edge, explains this Backgrounder.

Beijing has pursued increasing media regulations under President Hu Jintao. But as a flourishing China expands its international influence, many of its citizens hunger for a free flow of information.

Experts analyze the current state of the global economic system.

After a week with Lt. Col. Mohammad Daowood's battalion, "what I found is that the [Afghan National Army] looks very different when there are no Americans around."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 23, 2013, about the September attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya and the response of the State Department.