Rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United States reflect the differences in the longtime allies’ interests on a range of Middle East priorities, says CFR’s Fred Kaplan.

http://blogs.cfr.org/cook/ - Just back from Egypt, the Council on Foreign Relations’ Steven A. Cook reflects on the dramatic experience of being in Tahrir Square when protests began and the most rece…

Ukraine’s intensifying crisis has the Obama administration hinting at tougher sanctions against Russia, which could threaten Moscow’s ability to trade and invest, says CFR’s Robert Kahn.

A short U.S. government shutdown will likely have a limited effect on the economy but will be followed by a protracted debate over increasing the debt limit, which may result in the government’s defa…

Short Description: The automatic cuts in U.S. federal government spending, known as the "sequester," will negatively impact the U.S. economy in the short run and will not solve the long-term challeng…