U.S. presidential nominating conventions often touch on national security and foreign policy, but don’t always signal the direction of a winning candidate’s policy, explains this Backgrounder.

This publication is now archived. What is the 9/11 Commission? The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States is a bipartisan, independent panel. Its 13 members and staff o…

Despite a spotty record of effectiveness, Western states continue to promote UN sanctions in cases ranging from North Korea to Iran. But the UN Security Council is more divided than ever about implem…

The U.S. State Department’s annual global rating of human rights performance antagonizes friend and foe alike. Many rights activists embrace the reports while some express doubts about their influenc…

Beset by increased terror attacks and political infighting, Pakistan’s viability as a state is a matter of increasing concern. Experts call for reforming weak civil institutions, resolving ethnic dis…