CFR.org - Task Force Reports

U.S.-Turkey Relations

Madeleine K. Albright, Stephen J. Hadley, and Steven A. Cook — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:38:26 -0400

This Independent Task Force asserts that Turkey is an increasingly influential regional and economic power and calls for the United States and Turkey to forge a new partnership.

U.S. Education Reform and National Security

Joel I. Klein, Condoleezza Rice, and Julia Levy — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:09:59 -0400

This Independent Task Force report asserts that fixing the nation's underperforming K-12 public schools is critical for strengthening the country's security and increasing its economic competitiveness.

U.S. Trade and Investment Policy

Andrew H. Card, Thomas A. Daschle, Edward Alden, and Matthew J. Slaughter — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:58:40 -0400

This Independent Task Force report encourages the Obama administration and Congress to adopt a "pro-America" trade policy that brings to more Americans the benefits of global engagement.

Global Brazil and U.S.-Brazil Relations

Samuel W. Bodman, James D. Wolfensohn, and Julia E. Sweig — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:33:37 -0400

This Independent Task Force finds that Brazil is a significant international actor whose influence on global issues is likely to increase and recommends that U.S. policymakers and others recognize its global standing and work with Brazil to develop complementary policies. This report is also available in Portuguese.

U.S. Strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan

Richard L. Armitage, Samuel R. Berger, and Daniel Markey — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:58:34 -0500

This Independent Task Force report assesses U.S. objectives, strategy, and policy options in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It supports a long-term partnership with Pakistan, calls for a new approach to Afghan political reform, reconciliation, and regional diplomacy, and says that a more limited U.S. mission in Afghanistan would be warranted if the present strategy does not show signs of progress. This report is also available in Italian.

U.S. Policy Toward the Korean Peninsula

Charles L. "Jack" Pritchard, John Tilelli Jr., and Scott A. Snyder — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:38:03 -0400

This Task Force report identifies three elements of an internationally coordinated response to the threat posed by North Korea: first, denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and an approach that attempts to resolve rather than simply manage the nuclear issue; second, regional cohesion, enabled by close U.S.-South Korea relations; and third, China's cooperation and active engagement.

U.S. Immigration Policy

Jeb Bush, Thomas F. McLarty III, and Edward Alden — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:13:41 -0400

This Task Force report offers a strategy for maintaining America's political and economic leadership by attracting skilled immigrants, a program of legalization for those living in the United States illegally, and steps for securing the country's borders in an effective and humane way.

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy

William J. Perry, Brent Scowcroft, and Charles D. Ferguson — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:44:26 -0400

This report finds that nuclear weapons will remain a fundamental element of U.S. national security in the near term, and makes recommendations on how to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. deterrent nuclear force, prevent nuclear terrorism, and strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

Confronting Climate Change

George E. Pataki, Thomas J. Vilsack, Michael A. Levi, and David G. Victor — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:05:53 -0400

Against the backdrop of increasing attention to climate change in the presidential campaigns, debate of the Lieberman-Warner climate bill in the Senate, and preparations for this summer's G8 summit, this report recommends an overhaul of U.S. domestic and foreign policy to confront the challenges of climate change.

U.S.-Latin America Relations

Charlene Barshefsky, James T. Hill, Shannon K. O'Neil, and Julia E. Sweig — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:25:45 -0400

This report recommends reframing U.S. policy around four critical areas--poverty and inequality, public security, migration, and energy security--that are of immediate concern to Latin America's governments and citizens. This report is also available in Spanish.

U.S.-China Relations

Carla A. Hills, Dennis C. Blair, and Frank Sampson Jannuzi — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 12:34:34 -0400

This report takes stock of the changes under way in China and what they mean for China and for U.S.-China relations. This report is also available in Chinese.

National Security Consequences of U.S. Oil Dependency

John Deutch, James R. Schlesinger, and David G. Victor — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400

This report argues that the lack of sustained attention to energy issues is undercutting U.S. foreign policy and national security.

More Than Humanitarianism

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0500

This CFR-sponsored Independent Task Force finds that Africa is of growing strategic importance to the United States in addition to being an important humanitarian concern, and finds that critical humanitarian interests would be better served by a more comprehensive U.S. approach toward Africa.

In the Wake of War

Sat, 10 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400

This Council-sponsored, independent Task Force points out that nation-building is not just a humanitarian concern, but a critical national security priority that should be on par with war-fighting and urges the United States to equalize the importance of the two. The report argues that the United States must acknowledge that “war-fighting has two important dimensions: winning the war and winning the peace.”

In Support of Arab Democracy

Madeleine K. Albright, Vin Weber, and Steven A. Cook — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0400

A Council-sponsored Task Force argues that the United States should support the evolutionary development of democracy consistently throughout the Middle East. It points out that a strategy to promote democracy entails inherent risks, but that "the denial of freedom carries much more significant long-term dangers." This report is also available in Arabic.

Building a North American Community

Tue, 17 May 2005 00:00:00 -0400

North America is vulnerable on several fronts: the region faces terrorist and criminal security threats, increased economic competition from abroad, and uneven economic development at home. In response to these challenges, a trinational, Independent Task Force on the Future of North America has developed a roadmap to promote North American security and advance the well-being of citizens of all three countries. This report is also available in Spanish and French.

Iran: Time for a New Approach

Suzanne Maloney, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and Robert M. Gates — Mon, 19 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0400

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have positioned American troops along Iran’s borders, making the United States and Iran wary competitors and neighbors who nonetheless possess overlapping interests. Meanwhile, questions continue to be raised about Iran’s nuclear program and its involvement with terrorism. Clearly, contending with Iran will constitute one of the most complex and pressing challenges facing future U.S. administrations. This informative report, which sparked sharp debate in Washington and extensive coverage by U.S. and international media, offers a timely new approach.