Diplomacy

The Coming Civil War in Afghanistan

It's not inevitable, but it's more likely than ever before. Here's how to avoid the worst.

BY ARIF RAFIQ | FEBRUARY 3, 2012

The Monitor, Merrimac, and Middle East

American presidents love to describe the U.S. commitment to Israeli security as "ironclad." But do they mean it?

BY ROBERT SATLOFF | JANUARY 31, 2012

Will There Be a Central Asian Spring?

Kazakhstan may not be ripe for revolution, but the West is making the same mistakes it made in the Arab world.

BY JOANNA LILLIS | JANUARY 26, 2012

The Military-Political Complex

Why is Barack Obama standing to the right of conservatives when it comes to cutting the defense budget?

BY JAMES TRAUB | JANUARY 20, 2012

Stop the Madness

Despite all the hype, Iran's nuclear program has yet to violate international law. It's time to calm down, think, and above all halt the rush to war.

BY YOUSAF BUTT | JANUARY 19, 2012

Enough Already

It's time to talk to the Taliban.

BY STEPHEN HADLEY AND JOHN PODESTA | JANUARY 18, 2012

Threats and Promises

Do Obama’s red-lines with Iran and others really mean “or else”?

BY JAMES TRAUB | JANUARY 13, 2012

The Ten Biggest American Intelligence Failures

BY URI FRIEDMAN | JANUARY 3, 2012

The (B)end of History

Francis Fukuyama was wrong, and 2011 proves it.

BY JOHN ARQUILLA | DECEMBER 27, 2011

The Man Who Got Russia Right

Washington has a long tradition of misreading Moscow. As Putin teeters, it’s worth recalling George Kennan, the best Kremlinologist America ever had.

BY SUSAN B. GLASSER | DECEMBER 23, 2011

The World According to Ron Paul

Republicans are freaked out about what a libertarian isolationist in the White House would do to American power -- but not all Democrats are.

BY MICHAEL A. COHEN | DECEMBER 23, 2011

Obama Should Apologize

The facts are in: NATO forces mistakenly killed Pakistani soldiers. It’s time to swallow American pride and say we’re sorry.

BY C. CHRISTINE FAIR | DECEMBER 22, 2011

Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!

What should America do about the Arab Spring? Not much.

BY F. GREGORY GAUSE III | DECEMBER 21, 2011

Assessing Assad

The Syrian leader isn't crazy. He's just doing whatever it takes to survive.

BY BRUCE BUENO DE MESQUITA, ALASTAIR SMITH | DECEMBER 20, 2011

Game Change

From reciprocal nuclear reductions to making nice with Iran, 5 bold moves that could change the world.

BY STEPHEN M. WALT | DECEMBER 13, 2011

Iran Has America's Super Spy Drone. So What?

Getting caught every once in a while is all part of the intelligence game.

BY MICAH ZENKO | DECEMBER 9, 2011

Realpolitik and the Myanmar Spring

Wondering why Hillary Clinton is in Myanmar right now? Hint: it's all about China.

BY BERTIL LINTNER | NOVEMBER 30, 2011

End of the Argument

How we won the debate over stopping genocide.

BY GARETH EVANS | DECEMBER 2011

Buildup Down Under

The American president insisted his historic visit to Australia was not about China. But, of course, that's exactly what it was about.

BY RORY MEDCALF | NOVEMBER 17, 2011

The Nuclear Options

Barack Obama's Iran policy is frustrating, slow-moving, and fraught with uncertainty. But have you taken a look at the alternatives?

BY JAMES TRAUB | NOVEMBER 11, 2011

The Hawks' New Flight Pattern

Neocons blew off concerns about Iranian influence in Iraq in 2003. Why are they so obsessed with it now?

BY JAMES TRAUB | NOVEMBER 4, 2011

The FP Interview: Condoleezza Rice on Obama, “Leading from Behind,” Iraq, and More

The former secretary of state dishes on what the current administration gets right -- and what it gets wrong.

BY JOSH ROGIN | NOVEMBER 3, 2011

Remembering the Unquiet American

A fond retrospective on Richard Holbrooke, America’s most ambitious diplomat.

BY STROBE TALBOTT | NOVEMBER 1, 2011

Deal Breaker

How badly did Europe just bungle its best shot yet at avoiding economic catastrophe?

BY MOHAMED EL-ERIAN | NOVEMBER 1, 2011

A Friend in Need

Can disaster aid actually win hearts and minds?

BY CHARLES KENNY | OCTOBER 31, 2011

Debating the Pacific Century

In the November issue of Foreign Policy, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton argues that it's time for the United States to move on from its costly wars in the Middle East, and make a strategic "pivot" to Asia. FP asked four smart observers to take the measure of Clinton's plans for engagement in the Far East.

OCTOBER 14, 2011

The Price of Failure

How much has the collapse of Somalia cost the world? $55 billion -- and here's where it went.

BY JOHN NORRIS, BRONWYN BRUTON | OCTOBER 5, 2011

South Africa's Dictator Dance

South Africa was once celebrated as a champion for human rights. So why are Mandela's heirs engaging with some of the world's most dubious characters?

CAPTIONS BY SUZANNE MERKELSON | OCTOBER 4, 2011

How the State Department Came After Me

For telling the truth about what I saw in Iraq.

BY PETER VAN BUREN | SEPTEMBER 29, 2011

Ten More WikiLeaks You Missed

From the Indian April Fools cable to Hanoi's sexy discos to China's dangerous nuclear plants, Julian Assange's hits just keep on coming.

AUGUST 30, 2011