The latest events in Iran (the death of Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, whom many considered the reformists’ spiritual leader; the unrest and brutal behavior of the regime’s thugs; the show trials; and the revelations about rape, torture, and executions) are symptoms...

Q1: What is likely to be achieved at the climate change talks in Copenhagen?

A1: As the international climate change talks in Copenhagen draw to a close, it is clear that any progress made will be incremental with future success...

Q1: On January 1, 2010, Kazakhstan will assume the chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), an organization that now spans 56 countries. What is the significance of this development?

A1: Kazakhstan...

Over the weekend, Minister of Defense Senior Lt. General Phung Quang Thanh of Vietnam landed in Washington, D.C. The fact that this is only the second visit of a Vietnamese defense minister to the United States underlines the nascent nature of the strategic relationship...

Q1: Last week President Obama announced that U.S. troops will begin withdrawing from Afghanistan in July 2011. What exactly does this entail?

A1: In his speech at West Point, the president said that U.S. troops will begin to...

On December 7, President Barack Obama will host Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey at the White House.  It will be the first formal meeting between the two leaders since April, when Obama visited Turkey early in his administration.

Afghanistan and Iran...

Yesterday, Ambassador Stephen Bosworth landed in Seoul, South Korea, prior to going to North Korea on December 8. For three days of his stay in North Korea, he will engage in direct talks with North Korean officials. From North Korea, he will travel back to Seoul on the...

Q1: What is Dubai’s role in the global economy?

A1: Over the last decade, the emirate of Dubai has seen a spectacular economic rise, as increasing oil prices brought strong economic growth to the Persian Gulf region and as...

Last night President Obama described a new way forward in Afghanistan. Throughout months of intensive deliberations, it was always clear that answers to two key questions would determine how we proceed. The first: where collectively do we want to go? Rebuild Afghanistan from...

After much anticipation, President Obama last night announced his revamped war strategy for Afghanistan: a 30,000-troop buildup intended to reverse Taliban gains, increase the capability of the Afghan National Army and police, shore up the Karzai government, and begin...

Q1: As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh heads for Washington, where does India fit into the Obama administration’s policy?

A1: India has become a major bilateral partner. It is the principal power in the Indian Ocean,...

Q1: What are the key defense issues?

A1: President Obama will seek to reaffirm the bilateral alliance and review progress in modernizing the defense relationship between the two countries, including the 2004 agreement to return...