Topic: U.S Council on Foreign Relations

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Brazil's President Rousseff meets with Obama: 5 topics for talks

As the two largest economies in the Western Hemisphere, Brazil and the US have a lot of shared interests, but there are still areas of contention. Here are 5 possible topics on today's presidential agenda:
Where will bin Laden 'mother lode of intelligence' lead?

It's 'the mother lode of intelligence,' a US official said of the materials found with Osama bin Laden in Abbattabad, Pakistan. Here's a look at what was discovered, where it is now, and what it might reveal.
Five countries where the GOP victory could make a difference

Foreign policy is typically the executive branch’s domain because that is the branch that decides who the US negotiates with and what gets offered in those negotiations. However, Tuesday’s Republican victory, particularly the GOP takeover of the House and leadership of some key committees, has the ability to affect the US's dialogue, and in some cases policy, on a few key US relationships with other countries.
3 Reasons Israel won't bomb Iran

A long article in the latest Atlantic argues there's a strong chance Israel will unilaterally attack Iran next summer over its nuclear program. While there are strong arguments for an attack, here are three reasons why it won't happen.

All Content

Federal Reserve official: If Congress dawdles, economy will fall 3 percent

Congress must sort out a raft of fiscal issues before Jan. 1, or it will cost the US economy dearly, said New York Federal Reserve President William Dudley.
Focus
NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?

A war-weary US faces off with wary NATO allies in Chicago about money and support for Afghanistan after US combat troops withdraw in 2014. Don't expect any "Mission Accomplished" speeches.
Focus
NATO summit: Why US, allies don't just call it quits in Afghanistan

Al Qaeda, oil, and Pakistan, a trifecta of troublesome issues, make the US withdrawal from Afghanistan far more complicated than it was in Iraq.
Why is North Korea threatening to conduct a nuclear test? (+video)

First, to make up for the embarrassment of the failed missile; second, the regime's past nuclear tests didn't go very well.
Backchannels
Teargas on democracy protesters? Bahrain Grand Prix sponsors say 'no problem'

It appears the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled for this weekend will go on, despite the use of tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters there. Advertisers don't appear worried about any backlash.
Decoder Wire
North Korean missile launch failure: what it means for West (+video)

Washington’s snap reaction to the North Korean missile launch failure contained decidedly mixed emotions, including relief and concern about what the regime might try next.
In rare move, North Korea admits to missile failure (+video)

But the failure, coming amid the build-up for the centennial of Kim Il-sung’s birth, does not appear to have changed North Korea’s policies. More missile tests are likely, say analysts.
Brazil's President Rousseff meets with Obama: 5 topics for talks

As the two largest economies in the Western Hemisphere, Brazil and the US have a lot of shared interests, but there are still areas of contention. Here are 5 possible topics on today's presidential agenda:
Backchannels
Fear not!

Reality isn't as scary as some would like us to believe.
Qatar builds a brand as mediator

Flush with cash and fancy hotels, Qatar has hosted representatives from the West Bank, Gaza, Darfur, and Libya in the past year alone.
Education report: Shortcomings of US schools pose national security threat

Former secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein cochaired a task force that released its report Tuesday.
Why Taliban really decided to suspend talks with US

The White House responded to the Taliban announcement by reaffirming the US commitment to peace talks and insisting that the Afghanistan war will have to end with a political settlement.
Backchannels
Joe Scarborough implies General Dempsey unfit to lead joint chiefs

The morning talk-show host says Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey's comments that Iran is a rational actor should be a firing offense.
How serious is the bombast from North Korea?

North Korea issued more heated rhetoric denouncing the annual US-South Korea military drills that started today.
US inching closer to favoring arms for Syria rebels

The US has so far used diplomacy to put pressure on the regime of Syria President Assad. But as the death toll mounts, the Obama administration's opposition to arming Syria rebels may be softening.
The great wait of China: How long until freedom?

How long can China's communist regime hold in thrall people who have prospered in an economic system that has many of the hallmarks of free enterprise? Despite attempts to censor the Internet, China's huge, new urban population is aware of the outside world and changes in it.
Editorial Board Blog
Should the US attack Iran? Monitor Facebook fans speak out.

The views on 'what to do with Iran' are heated. Monitor Facebook fans reacted to two recent opeds: '5 reasons the US should attack Iran' and '5 reasons the US should avoid war with Iran.' We've culled some of the best responses here.
The Daily Reckoning
Is lower consumer demand actually a problem?

‘Demand fear’ is the worry that there aren’t enough people who want things and have the money to pay for them. But why not be satisfied with the demand as it is?
Africa Monitor
Africa's single currency, the CFA Franc, in a Post-euro Future

The single-currency zone, stretching from Senegal to the Central African Republic, links eight countries and 123 million people. Will it survive if the Euro crashes?
Is Obama weak on Iran? GOP sees hot issue in crisis over nuclear program.

The growing international crisis over Iran's nuclear program and Americans' preference that US military action be avoided if possible presents an extra challenge to Obama's reelection efforts.
North Korea's Kim Jong-un not really in control, says brother

Kim Jong-un's brother reportedly wonders how long North Korea's Kim Jong-un can last – or how much say he will have over his own destiny, let alone that of his people.
Terrorism & Security
Ahmadinejad, Chavez taunt US from Caracas

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez poked fun at the US for its worry about the possibility of Iranian nuclear weapons. 
Global News Blog
Bomb Iran? Where Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum stand.

The two strongest Republican candidates to emerge from the Iowa caucuses, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, both are open to bombing Iran's nuclear weapons program.
State of the world: Mideast boosts global democratic progress

Part 3 of the surprisingly upbeat state of the world: Mideast change boosts striking global democratic progress.
Global News Blog
Good Reads: Was 2011 a banner year for human rights?

From the downfall of North African regimes to the humanitarian interventions in Ivory Coast and Libya, 2011 appears to have been the year when citizens and leaders took a stand on human rights.