Some experts believe al-Shabaab is at its weakest point in years following an African-led counterinsurgency campaign, but others warn of the group's resiliency in an unstable Somalia.

Jeffrey Gettleman, East Africa bureau chief for the New York Times, examines African conflicts that have continued even without clear ideology and goals.

A surge in pirate attacks off the Somali coast in recent years has prompted the deployment of an international coalition of navies. But experts say that military force alone cannot address the underlying issue of failed Somali governance.

Micah Zenko analyzes the unexpected invasion by Kenyan forces into Somalia to defeat the militant group, al-Shabaab.

Somalia's growing famine partly stems from a global failure to act on warning signs, but it's exacerbated by militant group al-Shabaab, factions of which are blocking aid delivery and might have to be negotiated with, says Africa analyst Rashid Abdi.

The Nation's Jeremy Scahill offers a look into CIA counterterrorism operations in Somalia, particularly the CIA presence in Mogadishu. Washington is intensifying its focus on Somalia, including targeted strikes by U.S. Special Operations forces, drone attacks, and expanded surveillance operations.

In a Bloomberg feature, Noah Feldman explains the instructive problems posed by the case of captured Somali terrorist Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame.

As part of Under Suspicion, a Washington Post series on the lives of American Muslims in the decade following 9/11, Eli Saslow examines the case of Abdirizak Bihi, a Somali-American Muslim activist at the helm of a community-based counterterror group in Minnesota.

Somali pirates have been resilient against efforts to stop them, but a new approach that includes legal measures, controlling financial flows, building regional capacity and more could be the combination that defeats piracy, writes CFR's Michael Lyon Baker.

A global naval coalition has failed to halt Somali-based piracy. More effective would be a broader approach to maritime policing that integrates African authorities, writes CFR's Michael L. Baker.

Isobel Coleman argues that local women can play a role in mitigating the corruption that surrounds humanitarian aid in Somalia.

Instead of fighting jihad in Somalia by supporting the weak transitional government, the United States would have more success focusing on humanitarian aid and development, says democracy and governance expert Bronwyn Bruton.

Failed states provide fertile ground for terrorism, drug trafficking, and a host of other ills that threaten to spill beyond their borders. Somalia is thus a problem not just for Somalis but for the United States and the world. Bronwyn E. Bruton takes on one of today's most vexing foreign policy challenges, offering concise analysis and thoughtful recommendations grounded in a realistic assessment of U.S. and international interests and capabilities in Somalia.

John B. Bellinger III examines the dilemma posed by the allowance of civil suits, in the United States, of foreign government officials.

The Christmas bomb attempt on a Detroit-bound plane has raised new concerns about "ungoverned spaces." But CFR's Stewart Patrick argues that the term fails to address the real security concerns presented by nations like Yemen.

Abigail Hauslohner of Time details the plight of Somali refugees in Yemen.

CFR's Bronwyn Bruton says the U.S.-Ethiopia security partnership is undermining U.S. counterterror goals in Somalia. If the United States hopes to play a constructive role in Somalia, it must address democracy backsliding in Ethiopia, she says.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's seven-nation trip to Africa will highlight U.S. security concerns from Somalia to Nigeria and expand on efforts to engage leading African states on governance and trade issues.

Steven Simon discusses the investigation into twenty Americans who are believed to have joined a militant Islamist group in Somalia.