It's Debatable
Intervention or Restraint? A Washington debate on pressing issues for policymakers.
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Performers dressed as soldiers dance in front of a screen showing rockets being launched during a mass gala marking the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party on June 28 at the Olympic Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing, China. Does Beijing’s Belligerent Birthday Party Herald a New Arms Race?
The Chinese Communist Party’s anniversary celebration is taking place amid a nuclear buildup.
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Swiss President Guy Parmelin (C) leads U.S. President Joe Biden (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet media during the U.S.-Russia summit at Villa La Grange on June 16, 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland. Biden is meeting his Russian counterpart, Putin, for the first time as president in Geneva, Switzerland. Was the Biden-Putin Summit a Success?
The White House set clear red lines on cyberwar, but don’t expect much progress in the months to come.
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U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive at Cornwall Airport in Cornwall, England, on June 9. What’s the Point of the G-7?
As Biden attends the summit, it’s worth asking whether this group—or other alliances of democracies—can really get anything done.
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A woman holds a banner during a protest against the detention of the Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich in front of the European Commission representative office on May 24, 2021 in Warsaw, Poland. Can Biden Do Anything About Belarus?
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s brazen air piracy and increasing closeness to the Kremlin demand a response, but Washington’s next move isn’t obvious.
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Firefighters extinguish fire in Acre, Israel. Can Biden Pivot to Asia While Israel and Gaza Burn?
Violence between Israelis and Palestinians is dragging the United States back into a conflict it hoped to avoid as it refocuses attention away from the Middle East.
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U.S. President Joe Biden addresses Congress. Can Biden Sell His Domestic Agenda as a Win Against China?
From climate change policy to COVID-19 relief, Biden’s domestic and foreign-policy goals are coming under fire.
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biden afghan withdrawal Is Leaving Afghanistan Misguided or Overdue?
Biden’s withdrawal announcement is meant to end a 20-year war, but Washington has been dragged back into conflicts before.
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Protesters at a vigil in Myanmar. Are U.S. and Chinese Interests Really Opposed in Iran and Myanmar?
Beijing is making moves to ensure regional dominance in Southeast Asia and oil supplies from the Middle East. It could be shooting itself in the foot.
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Peace activists wearing masks pose with mock nuclear missiles. Will Biden’s Approach to China and Russia Work?
The new administration’s interim national security guidance gets many things right—but it has its shortcomings.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) meets with the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi (R), in Tehran, on Feb. 21. Who’s to Blame for Stalling U.S.-Iran Negotiations?
Biden was expected to revive the nuclear deal quickly—but as pro-Iran militias attack U.S. forces in Iraq and Washington strikes back in Syria, direct talks aren’t on the horizon.
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U.S. Army soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division arrive home from a 9-month deployment in Afghanistan on Dec. 8, 2020 at Fort Drum, New York. Should Biden Ditch All of Trump’s Policies?
From Afghanistan to China, the new administration seems likely to hold on to some ideas from the previous one.
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Joe Biden and Xi Jinping toast during a State Luncheon for China hosted on September 25, 2015 at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Will Biden Have to Choose Between U.S. Interests and Human Rights?
A coup in Myanmar and Russia’s sentencing of Alexei Navalny raise questions about whether promoting U.S. values could weaken Washington’s hand when it comes to great-power competition.
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Antony Blinken testifies at his confirmation hearing to become the U.S. secretary of state before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington on Jan. 19. What Do the Confirmation Hearings Tell Us About Biden’s Foreign Policy?
With Avril Haines and Lloyd Austin confirmed, key officials are starting to offer hints of what’s in store.
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Members of the Swat team patrol and secure the Statuary Hall before U.S. Vice President makes his way into the House Chamber, at the U.S. Capitol, on the morning of Jan. 7 hours after a mob invaded the building. Will the World Take the United States Seriously After the Capitol Invasion?
After a pro-Trump mob stormed Congress, Americans might have a harder time accomplishing their diplomatic goals from Europe to China.
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A participant takes part on the first day of the 36C3 Chaos Communication Congress on Dec. 27, 2019 in Leipzig, Germany. The four-day event under the topic "Resource Exhaustion" brings together about 17,000 hackers, artists, researchers, and technology fans. Is the Cyberattack Big News—or Just a Footnote In a Year Like No Other?
Will 2021 be full of foreign-policy crises and domestic drama or dull compared to 2020?
