All Foreign Policy
In State of the Union, Obama calls for free-trade pacts of historic scopeObama's State of the Union bid to create vast free-trade areas with Europe and Asia signals that, by the end of his presidency, two pillars of a globalized trading system could be in place.
N. Korea nuclear test: UN issues quick condemnation, but how far will it go?US Ambassador Susan Rice says the Security Council's quick and unanimous condemnation of North Korea's nuclear test is a sign the UN response will be 'credible.' But all eyes are still on China.
Can drone strikes target US citizens? Critics say rules are vague.Criticism of the leaked Justice Department document 鈥� which allows for drone strikes against top level terrorists who are US citizens 鈥� is piling up from both the right and left, with critics charging that its language is too permissive.
'Big heels to fill': What John Kerry signaled to State Dept. on his first dayOn his first day at State Department, John Kerry introduced himself with humor, passion, a nod to the women who preceded him, and a pledge to focus on the 'security and safety of our people.'
Turkey suicide bombing: This time, US calls it a terrorist attack right awayA Turkish security guard was killed in the attack Friday. The State Department is still sensitive to charges that it was slow to call the attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, a terrorist attack.
Hillary Clinton departs State: What's her legacy as top US diplomat?Secretary of State Hillary Clinton steps down Friday. Her supporters say she has reenergized America鈥檚 working relationships with allies and partners, while some critics ask what her defining accomplishments are.
Why Iran's nuclear enrichment upgrade may be a 'game changer'If Iran succeeds in installing next-generation enrichment centrifuges at Natanz, as it reportedly has told the UN's atomic agency it is doing, it could shorten Iran's breakout time to a nuclear weapon.
Senate confirms John Kerry, a foreign-policy buff who has Obama's trustThe Senate voted 94-to-3 to confirm John Kerry as secretary of State. He has Obama's trust and appears in sync with him on policy, but the president may be primarily focused on domestic affairs.
US sees signs that China is tiring of North Korea's anticsNorth Korea is sending out dire threats daily and could carry out a nuclear test. Even China, North Korea's strongest ally, is increasingly willing to cooperate with the US to chasten the rogue nation.
John Kerry: 'No one should mistake our resolve' on Iran's nuclear programSen. John Kerry appeared Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which he still chairs, to discuss the foreign policy he would promote as the next secretary of State.
Benghazi hearings: Will Hillary Clinton's testimony impact her future?In a much anticipated appearance before Congress, Hillary Clinton testified Wednesday on the deadly attack on US diplomats in Benghazi, Libya. Sen. Rand Paul said he would have fired her.
UN unanimously condemns North Korea rocket launch: why China joined inChina's support for the US-sponsored Security Council measure sends a message to North Korea that any future missile launch or nuclear test will likely be met with harsher UN sanctions.
Why elections in Israel may not bring better ties with USBenjamin Netanyahu appears to have won a new, if narrow, mandate to lead Israel, and key disagreements remain: over Middle East peace, and how to deal with Iran's nuclear program.
Algeria prisoner swap shows how Al Qaeda won't leave US aloneAs Al Qaeda-affiliated group proposed exchanging two US hostages in Algeria for two Islamist extremists jailed in the US, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged stepped-up US support for counterterror efforts in North Africa.
Algeria hostage crisis brings world to North Africa's anti-Islamist fightUS confirms it deployed drones to monitor the fast-moving Algeria hostage crisis, which thrust Algeria onto center stage of the regional battle against radical Islamists.
War crimes in Syria: Time to appeal to International Criminal Court?Fifty-seven countries on Monday urged the UN Security Council to ask the International Criminal Court at The Hague to investigate possible war crimes in Syria. The call comes as other groups report a spike in sexual violence in Syria.
Afghanistan war: US to shed combat duties soonerUS troops will hand off responsibility for military operations to the Afghans in the spring, President Obama and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai announced Friday. That represents a modest acceleration from earlier plans.
As Obama meets Karzai, future troop level in Afghanistan isn't only big issueThe meeting Friday at the White House between Obama and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai may lay a foundation for the coming year's negotiations over US role in the country after 2014.
Benghazi investigation falters amid fear of militant reprisalsA four-month investigation is reportedly turning up links between Al Qaeda groups and the Sept. 11 attacks on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. But as Libyan investigators fall prey to harm, concerns rise that the probe may be derailed.
A Bill and Hill year: why Clintons are Americans' favorite politiciansA recent poll showed that Hillary and Bill Clinton are the most popular politicians in America. How did America's top political couple come to have such high-flying ratings?