The State of the World: Explaining U.S. Strategy
The fall of the Soviet Union ended the European epoch, the period in which European power dominated the world. It left the United States as the only global power, something for which it was culturally and institutionally unprepared. Since the end of World War II, the United States had defined its foreign policy in terms of its confrontation with the Soviet Union. Virtually everything it did around the world in some fashion related to this confrontation. The fall of the Soviet Union simultaneously freed the United States from a dangerous confrontation and eliminated the focus of its foreign policy. READ MORE
Nazarbaev supports antinuclear attitude of Obama
Kazakhstan has declared antinuclear support for the U.S. It also became a model of nuclear disarmament for the whole world, KazTAG agency reported citing U.S. President Barack Obama. READ MORE
Future of U.S.-Azerbaijani Relations
The strong relations between Azerbaijan and the United States are very important for both countries’ national and energy security. Both countries need to understand the importance of cooperation and need to take action to reinforce relations with each other. READ MORE
Nazarbayev-Obama meeting in Seoul to further strengthen strategic partnership between the U.S. and Kazakhstan, ambassador Idrissov
The upcoming high-level meeting of Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Barack Obama at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul will further strengthen the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the United States, according to Erlan Idrissov, Kazakhstan's Ambassador to the U.S. READ MORE
What Putin Means for Washington
Washington had four years with the young, agreeable Dmitri Medvedev as its principal Russian interlocutor. But last week’s election confirmed that soon U.S. diplomats will once again be dealing directly with Vladimir Putin. What does Putin’s return mean for Russian foreign policy, and how should Washington adjust its own approach now that Putin, rather than Medvedev, will be sitting across the table? READ MORE
How to Read the British State Visit
Interviewee: Charles A. Kupchan, Whitney Shepardson Senior Fellow, CFR
Interviewer: Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor, CFR.org READ MORE
Why France’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan is Not a Strategy
President Barack Obama’s announcement last June of an accelerated U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan reopened debates in many European countries over when their soldiers should return from that unpopular war. French President Nicolas Sarkozy followed a few days later with an announcement that French troops would be reduced “in a proportional manner and in a calendar comparable to the withdrawal of American reinforcements.” Now, the tables have turned. With last week’s announcement, it was France that reset the transition calendar, arguing that progress in the transition allowed for the withdrawal of 1,000 French troops by the end of 2012. Although many U.S., Afghan, and NATO observers were initially critical, the Obama administration announced only a few days later that the United States also planned to end its combat mission in Afghanistan by mid-2013 and shift primarily to advising Afghan forces. READ MORE
Getting to know you: Obama welcomes China heir apparent and pledges cooperation will continue
For Xi, the itinerary was carefully negotiated to convey high-level significance and minimize the chance of making news or, worse, any gaffe. READ MORE
Mr. Saakashvili’s choice
Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili indignantly protests there is no comparison to be drawn between him and his nemesis, russian prime minister vladimir putin. In a meeting with The Post’s editorial board last week, he ticked off the differences: Mr. Putin’s regime is founded on corruption, while his is known for cleaning up Georgia’s once-dirty police and bureaucrats. Mr. Putin wages war on minorities, while Mr. Saakashvili’s government just passed a law to protect religious pluralism. Mr. Putin frequently opposes U.S. foreign policy, while Georgia has been a strong ally; it is about to double its troop contingent in Afghanistan. READ MORE
Barack Obama's state of the union address
Follow Barack Obama's 2012 state of the union address to Congress, in which he called for a fairer America and challenged Republicans not to obstruct his plans. READ MORE
