Wars and Conflict | Council on Foreign Relations

Kenya

1100 Kenyans Will Not Save Haiti

The UN-authorized Kenyan peace mission to Haiti is a welcome gesture, but it falls drastically short of the help the country urgently needs to establish a modern state.

Blog Post by Ebenezer Obadare and Robert I . Rotberg October 12, 2023 Africa in Transition
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

An Israeli Dilemma

While there must be a military component to Israel’s response to its security challenge, there is no solely military answer. A diplomatic component will need to be introduced into the equation, including a credible Israeli plan for bringing about a viable Palestinian state.

Article by Richard Haass October 11, 2023
Ukraine

The Case for Rebuilding Ukraine

Russia has caused unprecedented damage in Ukraine. And with no diplomatic end in sight to the conflict, many Ukrainians are wondering when, if ever, they will be able to go back to their homes. According to many experts, the answer is actually sooner rather than later. Can reconstruction begin before a war ends? Who pays, and where should world leaders begin?

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra , Philip Zelikow and Sam Greene October 11, 2023 Why It Matters

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Surprise Palestinian Attack Spawns Fears of Wider Mideast War

The shocking assault by Gaza militants on Israel will trigger massive retaliation from Israeli forces and likely have region-wide security repercussions.

In Brief by Steven A. Cook October 7, 2023 Middle East Program
Nagorno-Karabakh

In Photos: The Nagorno-Karabakh Exodus

Photo Essay by Diana Roy and Sabine Baumgartner October 6, 2023
Israel

The October 1973 Yom Kippur War: Fifty Years Later

Fifty years ago, on Yom Kippur, October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria launched surprise attacks on Israel. The resulting conflict sparked an Arab oil embargo, a superpower confrontation, a global recession, and an Arab-Israeli peace process. Its repercussions are still felt today. This joint symposium between CFR and the Institute for National Security Studies (Israel) will bring together American, Israeli, and Arab experts to discuss the war’s lasting impacts on the Middle East and U.S. regional interests. Speakers include Ehud Barak, Henry Kissinger, Nabil Fahmy, Tom Friedman, Dorit Beinisch, and Richard Haass, among many others.

Virtual Event by Ehud Barak, Dorit Beinisch, Nabil Fahmy, Thomas L. Friedman, Richard Haass , Tamir Hayman, Henry A. Kissinger, William B. Quandt, Itamar Rabinovich, Khalil Shikaki, Manuel Trajtenberg, Martin S. Indyk , Elise Labott, Andrea Mitchell, Carla Anne Robbins and Gideon Rose October 5, 2023 Middle East Program

Egypt

October War Legacy Fades in Troubled Modern Egypt

Half a century later, Egypt regards its brief war with Israel as an important military milestone that initially bolstered its leaders, though in recent years, Egypt has weakened under repressive, ineffective rule.

In Brief by Steven A. Cook October 3, 2023 Middle East Program
Human Rights

The Fate of Justice in Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks

While the final chapter of the Russia-Ukraine war has yet to be written, the prospects of any negotiations to achieve a just and lasting peace remain distant. But it is not too soon to consider how a…

Article by David J. Scheffer September 27, 2023 International Institutions and Global Governance Program
Center for Preventive Action

Virtual Roundtable: Prospects for Peace in Nagorno-Karabakh

Since December 2022, Azerbaijan has enforced a blockade of the only road linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, known as the Lachin Corridor. Just as a compromise materialized, Azerbaijan launched an offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19. A day later, the separatist enclave surrendered and announced a joint ceasefire, and peace talks between Azerbaijan and the Karabakh separatists are ongoing. Please join our speakers, Carey Cavanaugh, professor of diplomacy at the University of Kentucky, and Olesya Vartanyan, senior analyst for the South Caucasus region at the International Crisis Group, for a discussion on the prospects for a lasting settlement.

Virtual Event by Carey Cavanaugh, Olesya Vartanyan and Paul B. Stares September 27, 2023 Center for Preventive Action
Sudan

Sudan’s Civil Society Laying the Groundwork for Sustained Peace

Supporting Sudanese agency in the ongoing conflict will boost confidence-building measures for a sustained peace.

Blog Post by Dr. Entisar Abdelsadig September 25, 2023 Africa in Transition
Russia

Who Killed Yevgeny Prigozhin?

Numerous competing theories are likely to surface about the demise of the Russian paramilitary commander—all of which help explain Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

In Brief by Stephen Sestanovich August 24, 2023 Europe Program
Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa’s Multiple Security Crises

Across the continent, ill-conceived security arrangements are having unintended consequences

Blog Post by Michelle Gavin August 7, 2023 Africa in Transition
Sudan

The President’s Inbox Recap: Sudan’s Civil War

The deadly conflict in Sudan has displaced millions and could roil the region.

Blog Post by Michelle Kurilla July 27, 2023 The Water's Edge
International Law

The United States Should Ratify the Rome Statute

(Editor’s note: This article is part of a joint symposium hosted by Just Security and Articles of War. The symposium addresses topics discussed at a workshop held at The George Washington University …

Article by David J. Scheffer July 19, 2023 International Institutions and Global Governance Program
Taiwan

Taiwan, China, and the Threat of War

A small island one hundred miles off the coast of China could be the flashpoint that determines the future of great-power competition. Experts increasingly warn that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be globally catastrophic, regardless of its success or if the United States intervenes. How concerned should Americans be?

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra , David Sacks and James Lin July 13, 2023 Why It Matters