535 Secretaries of State

Congress running foreign policy. The president usurping war powers. This is not what the Founding Fathers intended.

A Second-Best President for Egypt

Two certainties about Egypt's elections: the winner won't be anyone's first choice, and he will have a hard road ahead.

China Digs in to Afghanistan

Washington is packing its bags, but Beijing looks set to stay in AfPak for the long haul.

Reaching Iran through South Africa

Why the most successful route to reaching a nuclear deal with Tehran may be through Pretoria.

Negotiations with Iran: What Has Changed?

There's little cause for optimism as a new round of nuclear talks begins.

The Hagiography of Mr. Holbrooke

Richard “The Bulldozer” Holbrooke left a deep mark on U.S. foreign policy. Yet this collection of essays by his friends and admirers, which gushes...

The nation-building paradigm creates a mindset that it is “easy” to achieve success with limited cost and within a short period of time, making such missions irresistible to launch, until they run up against the hard realities on the ground.

Regional Headlines

How to Keep Afghanistan Secure

Washington has been repeating the same mistakes in Afghanistan for 30 years. Obama is poised to continue the cycle.

Set South Korea Free

Washington has kept the ROK dependent for too long. Let Seoul increase its military efforts.

Saudi Arabia's More Perfect Union

The house of Saud is meeting resistance as it pushes other gulf monarchies toward a closer union.

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May 26, 2012