U.S. Secretary of State Clinton and Defense Secretary Panetta gave these remarks on Afghanistan at a meeting at NATO headquarters on April 18, 2012.

Since its founding in 1944, the World Bank has evolved from a lender focused on European reconstruction into the preeminent international institution for economic development and poverty reduction. This Backgrounder examines the Bank's history and role.

International trade and finance analyst Rebecca M. Nelson offers an overview of multilateral development banks and outlines the issues they present for the United States Congress in this Congressional Research Service report.

The latest spate of violence in Afghanistan is unlikely to change the course of planned troop withdrawals, but should refocus efforts on bringing under control Pakistan-based militants, says CFR's Daniel Markey.

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon says a battle is on to keep Afghan women from falling off the political agenda while Washington and its NATO allies seek a diplomatic solution to America's longest-ever war, and the fight becomes more urgent as the NATO summit in Chicago approaches.

Max Boot argues that the only way the Taliban can shoot their way back into power is if the United States abandons Afghanistan.

The National Assembly of Pakistan passed the resolution on April 12, 2012 and revised it on December 2012. The guidelines include policy on Pakistani airspace and territory and unmanned aerial vehicle (drones).

CFR Senior Fellow Thomas J. Bollyky and the Center for Global Development's director of global health policy Amanda Glassman propose using an innovative incentive mechanism, Cash-on-Delivery (COD) Aid, to improve tobacco control in developing countries.

American drones have changed everything for al-Qaeda and its local allies in Pakistan, becoming a fact of life in a secret war that is far from over, writes Foreign Policy's Pir Zubair Shah.

CFR Senior Fellow Stephen Biddle considers ways to adapt governance ambitions in Afghanistan to the constraints of diminishing time and resources.

The emerging BRICS economies agree that the West should hold less sway in the global economy. But their leaders, despite regular summits, have failed to articulate a coherent vision because of divergent interests, says journalist Martin Wolf.

The winner of the 2012 U.S. presidential election must be prepared to deal with a potential reemerging crisis between India and Pakistan, engage with India over its relations with Iran and interests in Afghanistan, and face an upcoming leadership transition in the country, says CFR's Daniel Markey.

Leaders of the BRICS countries (Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China, and South Africa) made this declaration at the fourth BRICS Summit in New Delhi on March 29, 2012.

The CIA's drone program, while successful, has been largely unpopular in Pakistan. But drone strikes are decreasing since they peaked in 2010. Peter Bergen and Jennifer Rowland of CNN ask: Is it because of politics or because we're running out of real targets?

Micah Zenko says it's time for the United States to think of new ways to combat terrorism in Southwest Asia.

Despite the last week's setbacks, Max Boot argues for a firm commitment to a future U.S. presence in Afghanistan.

UN Security Council Resolution 2041 regarding extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until March 23, 2013 was adopted by the UN Security Council on March 22, 2012.

John McCain, Joseph I. Lieberman and Lindsey Graham, members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, believe President Obama should "resist the short-sighted calls for additional troop reductions" in Afghanistan.

Leslie H. Gelb says President Obama will wait until after the election to speed up U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan.

The killing of Afghan civilians and the Taliban's suspension of peace talks have complicated the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. CFR's Stephen Biddle discusses U.S. choices.