With South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya all hobbled by varying degrees of instability and infighting, experts fear Africa lacks leadership for continent-wide security and economic initiatives.

Sen. Barack Obama’s foreign policy team includes former State Department veterans and newcomers from academia who seek to reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy.

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi security personnel have received U.S.-led counterinsurgency training. But big questions remain over their readiness to replace U.S. forces.