Regions (original) (raw)
- Africa (sub-Saharan)
- Asia and Pacific
- Europe
- Global
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- Middle East and North Africa
- North America
- Polar Regions
- Russia and Central Asia
New York Review of Books: Syria's Polio Epidemic: The Suppressed Truth
February 20, 2014
"The UN's current polio vaccination program—sponsored by UNICEF and delivered in UN-financed convoys and flights—is fully orchestrated by the Syrian government, and in opposition-held areas, it is dependent for administration on volunteers from the government-dominated Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). SARC's president, Abdul Rahman Attar, is closely tied to the government, and even has his own pharmaceutical company, which has influenced the preference given to regime territory in the administration of polio vaccines during these last three years."
See more in Syria; Health; Children
Maximalist
Author: Stephen Sestanovich
February 2014
When the United States has succeeded in the world, it has done so by changing course—usually amid deep controversy and uncertainty. Maximalist finds lessons in the past that anticipate and clarify our chaotic present, revealing the history of U.S. foreign policy in an unexpected new light.
See more in Global; United States; History and Theory of International Relations; Presidents and Chiefs of State
Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson's Remarks at the Wilson Center
February 7, 2014
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson delivered remarks at the Wilson Center on February 7, 2014. He discussed the history of the Department of Homeland Security and its contemporary initiatives, particularly on border control and cybersecurity.
See more in United States; Homeland Security
Economist: Manufacturing in Africa: An Awakening Giant
February 7, 2014
"A quiet boom in manufacturing in Africa is already taking place. Farming and services are still dominant, backed by the export of commodities, but new industries are emerging in a lot of African countries."
See more in Africa (sub-Saharan); Manufacturing
Must Reads of the Week: Sochi Olympics, NSA Disputes, Arctic Access, and More
Author: CFR.org Editors
February 7, 2014
What CFR.org Editors are reading the week of February 3–7, 2014.
See more in Global; Politics and Strategy
Financial Times: Obama Walks Into Crossfire of Asian Tensions
Authors: Geoff Dyer, Demetri Sevastopulo, and Simon Mundy
February 7, 2014
"The U.S. has been particularly frustrated at the deterioration in relations between Tokyo and Seoul, as it believes that relationship is important to help check the rise of China in the region, which is one reason that some high-profile Asia experts in the US have been urging Mr Obama to visit South Korea."
See more in Japan; South Korea; Economic Development; Global Governance
Foreign Policy: It's Official: China Is Becoming a New Innovation Powerhouse
Author: David Wertime
February 7, 2014
"First, the United States is, and remains, the technology center of the world, with an unmatched amount of researchers and R&D money and the kind of cultural hard-wiring that continues to produce breathtaking discoveries. Second, China is catching up."
See more in China; Innovation
The World Next Week: February 6, 2014
February 6, 2014
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org: French president Fran�ois Hollande visits Washington; Egypt marks the third anniversary of Mubarak's ouster; and the Chicago Auto Show begins.
See more in Global; Politics and Strategy
Teaching Module: Invisible Armies
February 2014
This module contains Teaching Notes by CFR Senior Fellow Max Boot with discussion questions, essay questions, activities, and additional materials for educators to supplement the use of Boot's book Invisible Armies in the classroom. In this book, Boot offers a comprehensive history of guerrilla warfare and terrorism, and relates lessons of the past to current national security policy considerations.
See more in Middle East and North Africa; Europe; Defense and Security; Terrorism
Can Syrian Talks Inch Forward?
Mona Yacoubian interviewed by Bernard Gwertzman February 6, 2014
The lack of progress in Syrian peace talks doesn't mean diplomacy can't work, but the process needs to include regional powers, says expert Mona Yacoubian.
See more in Syria; Peace, Conflict, and Human Rights
New York Review of Books: Africa Attacks the International Criminal Court
Author: Kenneth Roth
February 6, 2014
"The court's future now rests to a large extent on the battle being waged between African leaders with little interest in justice and those Africans, including many activists and victims, who see an end to impunity for mass atrocities as essential for Africa's future. One can only hope that the welfare of African people takes precedence over the perceived interests of African leaders."
See more in Africa (sub-Saharan); Global Governance
Voices of the Next Generation with Gavin Andresen on Bitcoin
Speaker: Gavin Andresen
Presider: Douglas A. Rediker
February 6, 2014
Gavin Andresen discusses the future of Bitcoin, the challenges of digital currency, and the role of the Bitcoin Foundation.
See more in Global; Economics; Technology and Science
Instability in Russia�s North Caucasus Region
Author: Zachary Laub
February 6, 2014
Russia's troubled North Caucasus region continues to struggle with a low-level Islamic insurgency. A heavy-handed approach to counterinsurgency has not addressed the root causes of separatism in the region, this Backgrounder explains.
See more in Russian Federation; Peace, Conflict, and Human Rights
China�s Environmental Crisis
Author: Beina Xu
Updated: February 5, 2014
China's mounting environmental crisis is endangering the pace of its economic growth and threatening the legitimacy of the ruling party.
See more in China; Pollution; Environmental Policy
International Affairs Book Reviews and Recommendations
February 5, 2014
International Affairs Book Reviews and Recommendations includes links to websites that regularly feature book reviews, recommended reading lists, book prizes, and directories of free books online and recently released books.
See more in Global; Culture and Foreign Policy
Assistant Secretary Russel's Congressional Testimony on Maritime Disputes in East Asia
February 5, 2014
Assistant Secretary of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific on February 5, 2014. He discussed tensions in East Asia sea, China's announcement of its Air Defense Identification Zone, and U.S. role in maintaining relations.
See more in Asia and Pacific; Territorial Disputes; Oceans
CFR Scholars Economy and Levi Debunk Myths about China�s Resource Quest, in New Book
February 5, 2014
China's meteoric growth and transformation into a major economic power is demanding ever-larger quantities of energy, minerals, land, and water. In a sweeping new book, Senior Fellow for Asia Studies Elizabeth C. Economyand Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment Michael Levi show how China's quest to secure those resources is changing the world—and China itself.
See more in China; Energy and Environment
Lawfare: The Problem at the Heart of the NSA Disputes: Legal Density
Author: Benjamin Wittes
February 5, 2014
"The law is so dense and so complicated that it cannot be accurately summarized at a level a citizen can reasonably process."
See more in United States; Counterterrorism
DC Book Launch: "By All Means Necessary: How China's Resource Quest is Changing the World"
Speakers: Elizabeth C. Economy and Michael A. Levi
Presider: James M. Lindsay
February 4, 2014
In their new book, Elizabeth C. Economy and Michael A. Levi explore the myths and truths of the unrivaled expansion of the Chinese economy and the global effects of its meteoric growth.
DC Book Launch: "By All Means Necessary: How China's Resource Quest is Changing the World"
Speakers: Elizabeth C. Economy and Michael A. Levi
Presider: James M. Lindsay
February 4, 2014
In their new book, Elizabeth C. Economy and Michael A. Levi explore the myths and truths of the unrivaled expansion of the Chinese economy and the global effects of its meteoric growth.
CFR Experts Guide
The Council on Foreign Relations' David Rockefeller Studies Program�CFR's "think tank"�is home to more than seventy full-time, adjunct, and visiting scholars and practitioners (called "fellows"). Their expertise covers the world's major regions as well as the critical issues shaping today's global agenda. Download the printable CFR Experts Guide.
Ask CFR Experts
If there are no U.S. or NATO troops in Afghanistan after 2014, what happens?
Asked by Tom Gordon,
Answered by Janine Davidson
See all the questions and answers
New Council Special Reports
"Reorienting U.S.-Pakistan Strategy by Daniel S. Markey
The author examines Pakistan's complex role in U.S. foreign policy and advocates for a two-pronged approach that works to quarantine threats while integrating Pakistan into the broader U.S. agenda in Asia.
Afghanistan After the Drawdown by Seth G. Jones and Keith Crane
The authors assess the political, security, and economic challenges facing U.S. policymakers in Afghanistan and evaluate a range of policy options.
The Future of U.S. Special Operations Forces by Linda Robinson
Special operations play a critical role in how the United States confronts irregular threats, but to have long-term strategic impact, the author argues, numerous shortfalls must be addressed.
Complete list of Council Special Reports
New Books
By All Means Necessary by Elizabeth C. Economy and Michael Levi
This clear and authoritative book presents a sweeping account of China's global resource quest and the unrivaled expansion of its economy. More
No Exit from Pakistan by Daniel S. Markey
The story of the tragic and often tormented relationship between the United States and Pakistan, and a call to prepare for the worst, aim for the best, and avoid past mistakes. More
Pathways to Freedom edited by Isobel Coleman and Terra Lawson-Remer
An authoritative and accessible look at what countries must do to build durable and prosperous democracies�and what the United States and others can do to help. More