CFR.org - Council Special Reports

Saudi Arabia in the New Middle East

F. Gregory Gause III — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:18:27 -0500

Gause posits that, though the Arab Awakening has caused tensions in Saudi-American relations, the two countries do not face a crisis and still have significant mutual interests that should be prioritized.

Partners in Preventive Action

Paul B. Stares and Micah Zenko — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:11:25 -0400

In this globalized world, countries will need to cooperate on policies that extend across borders to address issues that affect them all, including conflct prevention and peacemaking. The authors of this report assess the strengths and weaknesses of international institutions and provide a set of practical recommendations for how the United States can strengthen the global architecture for preventive action by partnering with those organizations.

Justice Beyond The Hague

David Kaye, John B. Bellinger III and Matthew C. Waxman — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:03:48 -0400

Recognizing the limitations of current international systems based in The Hague, David A. Kaye provides a strategy for promoting national-level justice and accountability mechanisms to prosecute perpetrators of mass atrocity crimes.

The Drug War in Mexico

David A. Shirk — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:36:08 -0500

David A. Shirk analyzes the drug war in Mexico and argues that the United States should help Mexico address its pressing crime and corruption problems.

UN Security Council Enlargement and U.S. Interests

Kara C. McDonald and Stewart M. Patrick — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:30:38 -0500

Kara C. McDonald and Stewart M. Patrick offer recommendations for U.S. leadership in United Nations Security Council reform and expansion.

Congress and National Security

Kay King — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:37:57 -0500

Kay King offers recommendations to reset congressional rules, practices, and procedures to address today's dysfunctional Congress and restore it as a full partner to the executive branch in advancing U.S. national security interests.

Toward Deeper Reductions in U.S. and Russian Nuclear Weapons

Micah Zenko — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:35:49 -0400

What comes after the New START treaty? A follow-on treaty should limit the U.S. and Russia to 1,000 strategic and tactical nuclear weapons, says this CFR report.

Internet Governance in an Age of Cyber Insecurity

Robert K. Knake — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:15:50 -0400

Cybersecurity expert Knake recommends the United States use international forums to promote mechanisms that address security concerns in cyberspace while ensuring the Internet remains open for the free exchange of ideas across national boundaries.

From Rome to Kampala

Vijay Padmanabhan, John B. Bellinger III and Matthew C. Waxman — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:13:46 -0400

The controversial relationship between the United States and the International Criminal Court (ICC) is at a crossroads: After an initial period of hostility toward the ICC, the United States has in recent years pursued a policy of cautious engagement. Vijay Padmanabhan offers a backdrop of the U.S.-ICC relationship and policy recommendations for the U.S. delegation attending the Seven-Year Review Conference in May/June 2010.

Strengthening the Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime

Paul Lettow — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 13:42:03 -0400

Violations of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty by Iran and North Korea threaten to undermine the legitimacy of the nonproliferation regime. Paul Lettow proposes a comprehensive agenda for improvements, including tougher sanctions against transgressors, a criteria-based system to limit the spread of enrichment and processing technologies, and expansion of International Atomic Energy Agency authority.

The Russian Economic Crisis

Jeffrey Mankoff — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 10:39:05 -0400

Since 2008, Russia, like many other countries, has experienced a deep economic crisis. The question is how this crisis might affect Russia's domestic politics and foreign policy and, consequently, whether any change is warranted in U.S. policy toward Moscow. Jeffrey Mankoff argues that Russia's need to focus on repairing its economy during this global crisis gives the West an opportunity to deepen its economic engagement with Russia, which could bind Moscow more firmly to the liberal global economic order and encourage reform in both Russia and neighboring states.

Somalia

Bronwyn E. Bruton — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:15:22 -0500

Failed states provide fertile ground for terrorism, drug trafficking, and a host of other ills that threaten to spill beyond their borders. Somalia is thus a problem not just for Somalis but for the United States and the world. Bronwyn E. Bruton takes on one of today's most vexing foreign policy challenges, offering concise analysis and thoughtful recommendations grounded in a realistic assessment of U.S. and international interests and capabilities in Somalia.

The Future of NATO

James M. Goldgeier — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:10:22 -0500

NATO has been a cornerstone of security in Europe--and of U.S. foreign policy--for six decades. But its ability to continue playing such a central role is unclear. James M. Goldgeier takes a sober look at what the alliance and its members must do to maintain NATO's relevance in the face of today's strategic environment.

Intervention to Stop Genocide and Mass Atrocities

Matthew C. Waxman — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:38:34 -0500

Recent events in Darfur raise the familiar question of whether international law facilitates the kind of early, decisive, and coherent action needed to effectively combat genocide. Matthew C. Waxman argues that putting decisions about international intervention solely in the hands of the UN Security Council risks undermining the threat or use of intervention when it may be most potent in stopping mass atrocities.

The United States in the New Asia

Evan A. Feigenbaum and Robert A. Manning — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:25:07 -0400

For more than a decade, the United States has mostly watched from the sidelines as Asian countries organize themselves into an alphabet soup of new multilateral groups. In this report, the authors review the relationship between pan-Asian and trans-Pacific institutions and suggest policy guidelines for a new U.S. approach to this new Asian landscape. A purposeful multilateralism that pools the efforts of those with the greatest capacity, the authors argue, could make Asia a more prosperous and secure region.

The Canadian Oil Sands

Michael A. Levi — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:21:11 -0400

The Canadian oil sands present an important challenge to policymakers: they promise energy security benefits but present climate change problems. Michael A. Levi assesses the energy security and climate change effects of the oil sands and makes recommendations for U.S. policymakers within the context of broader bilateral relations with Canada.

The National Interest and the Law of the Sea

Scott G. Borgerson — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:08:45 -0400

Seaborne commerce remains the linchpin of the global economy. And beyond trade, a host of other issues, ranging from climate change and energy to defense and piracy, ensure that the oceans will hold considerable strategic interest well into the future. In this report, Scott G. Borgerson explores an important element of the maritime policy regime: the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He examines the international negotiations that led to the convention, the history of debates in the United States over whether to join it, and the strategic importance of the oceans for U.S. foreign policy today.

Lessons of the Financial Crisis

Benn Steil — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:48:17 -0400

In this report, Benn Steil shows that the financial crisis is the inevitable bust of a classic credit boom, and explains how monetary, taxation, and home ownership promotion policy combined with other features of the financial system to fuel an unsustainable buildup in debt. He recommends significant reforms to reverse the debt financing bias and make the system more resilient to falls in asset prices. This report is also available in Arabic.

Eurasian Energy Security

Jeffrey Mankoff — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 10:56:44 -0500

This report looks at Russia's rise as an energy power, analyzing its control of supplies and delivery systems and its investments in energy infrastructure across Europe, as well as questions about the potential of its production, recognizing that European dependence on Russian energy will be a reality well into the future and that Europe can increase its energy security only by working with--not against--Russia.

Preparing for Sudden Change in North Korea

Paul B. Stares and Joel S. Wit — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:03:33 -0500

North Korea has long been a serious concern to Washington. Now, with President Kim Jong-Il reportedly in bad health and possibly naming a successor, the United States must consider possible outcomes should the situation deteriorate and the current North Korean government collapse. This report examines the challenges that these scenarios would pose--ranging from securing Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal to providing humanitarian assistance--in the context of the interests of the United States and others in its valuable recommendations.

Averting Crisis in Ukraine

Steven Pifer — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:34:21 -0500

This report comprehensively analyzes Ukraine's difficulties, related to both domestic conditions and foreign policy, and recommends ways for the United States to encourage Ukraine on a path of stability and integration with the West.

Congo

Anthony W. Gambino — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:40:59 -0400

This report lays out a thoughtful agenda for U.S. policy toward the Democratic Republic of Congo, arguing that what happens there should matter to the United States—for humanitarian reasons as well as economic and strategic ones.

China, Space Weapons, and U.S. Security

Bruce W. MacDonald — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:53:55 -0400

In this report, Bruce W. MacDonald illuminates the strategic landscape of military space competition between the United States and China and highlights the dangers and opportunities the United States confronts in space.

Sovereign Wealth and Sovereign Power

Brad W. Setser — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:18:08 -0400

The rise in China's trade surplus, the increase in oil prices, and a slowdown in demand for U.S. assets from private investors abroad has increased the United States' reliance on foreign governments for financing. This report examines whether the United States' ability to secure large quantities of external financing from foreign governments is a reflection of its political power, a constraint on its ability to exercise power, or a combination of the two.

Securing Pakistan's Tribal Belt

Daniel Markey — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:17:24 -0400

This report outlines the nature of the challenges in Pakistan's tribal areas, formulates strategies for addressing those challenges, and distills the strategies into realistic policy proposals worthy of consideration by the incoming administration.

Avoiding Transfers to Torture

Ashley S. Deeks — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:03:34 -0400

This report analyzes the debate over U.S. use of assurances against torture, explaining the contexts in which they are used, how they can be conveyed, and what they can contain, and recommends a number of ways to respond to criticism so that the United States can continue using assurances.

Dealing with Damascus

Mona Yacoubian and Scott Lasensky — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:08:30 -0400

In this Council Special Report, Mona Yacoubian and Scott Lasensky make a strong case that the Bush administration’s policy of diplomatic isolation of Syria is not serving U.S. interests, and offer informed history and thoughtful analysis of the country and its external behavior. This report is also available in Italian.

Climate Change and National Security

Joshua W. Busby — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:37:26 -0500

Connections between climate change and national security are receiving unprecedented attention from policymakers and analysts. Joshua W. Busby moves the discussion from broad assessments of the links between climate and security to a plan for action. This report is also available in Chinese.

Planning for Post-Mugabe Zimbabwe

Michelle D. Gavin — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:55:44 -0400

Since 2000, President Robert Mugabe’s refusal to tolerate challenges to his power has led him to systematically dismantle the workings of Zimbabwe’s economic and political systems, replacing them with structures of corruption, intimidation, and repression. Michelle D. Gavin surveys the current situation in Zimbabwe, identifying current structural and legal impediments to economic and political recovery.

The Case for Wage Insurance

Robert J. LaLonde — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:17:40 -0400

A flexible labor market and an open economy are crucial to economic competitiveness, but can sometimes cause prime-aged and older workers to suffer large, long-term income losses. This report explains why existing government programs, which emphasize retraining and insurance for short-term job loss, don't assuage workers' fears about globalization. It also proposes a shift of resources from existing programs to wage insurance.