Hobbled by foreign interventions, political instability, and natural disasters, the former French colony is paralyzed by multiple crises.

Ukraine’s Westward drift since independence has been countered by the sometimes violent tug of Russia, felt most recently with Putin’s 2022 invasion.

Once locked in war, Vietnam and the United States have built mature ties rooted in mutual economic and security interests.

The Obama administration’s 2013 budget plan has revived debate over the sustainability of U.S. spending. As the United States emerges from a deep recession, it must maintain a tricky policy balance.