Afghanistan expert Thomas H. Johnson says Western efforts to force a runoff election will not produce a legitimate leader in the eyes of Afghan voters, and could further destabilize the country.

With Islam under intense scrutiny internationally, Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, secretary-general for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, discusses the organization’s efforts to promote human rights…

As Yemen lurches into increased instability with no clear successor to President Saleh. Yemen expert Bernard Haykel says the best intermediate political solution would be a national unity council unt…

Eileen Claussen, president of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, says U.S. domestic climate legislation might pass in 2010, after Congress deals with health care reform. But a global climate ag…

The sentencing of former Ukraine prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko reflects her rivalry with President Viktor Yanukovych and could affect Ukraine’s eurozone bid, says New York Times Moscow bureau chief…