Briefing Book
List of Briefing Book articles

Losing at the IMF
The Obama administration set out to reform the international financial system, but now finds itself on the defensive. What went wrong?

Eight Ways to Deal With Iran
The Iranian nuclear program is a complex threat to international peace and stability. In this ambitious paper, former national security advisor Stephen J. Hadley says that stopping it requires an equally complex and sophisticated strategy.

Are We Focusing on the Wrong Nuclear Threat?
Americans are wringing their hands about the grave threat that a nuclear Iran would pose to the United States. But the numbers tell a different story.

How Obama Missed an Opportunity for Middle East Peace
Why did the president ignore the only part of the "peace process" that was working?

Japan Awakens
The Japanese military is emerging from decades of pacifism. But do the country's political leaders have the vision and the will to make the country strong again?

The American Pivot to Asia
Why President Obama's turn to the East is easier said than done.

Follow the Money
A simple reform created for stopping terrorist financiers could dramatically strengthen international sanctions, and cut off the flow of funds to some of the world’s worst regimes.

Is Pakistan’s Army as Islamist as We Think?
New data suggest it may be even more liberal than Pakistani society as a whole.

Bridges to Somewhere
More austerity won't save the global economy. Building infrastructure just might.

Slouching Toward 2011
President Obama's Afghanistan withdrawal timetable is running up against a hard reality: Afghan forces are nowhere near ready to take responsibility for their country's security.

Nukes Forever
Barack Obama is spending billions to maintain and upgrade America's nuclear weapons. But his opponents say it's not enough. Will they ever be satisfied?

How to Safeguard Afghanistan’s Mineral Riches
A six-step guide.

Why the Iran Sanctions Matter
It's easy to criticize the U.N. Security Council's new resolution targeting Iran. But it might prove a surprisingly effective tool in tightening the noose on the regime in Tehran.