The United States and Middle East are at a crossroads.
In spite of a reduced presence in the Middle East, the
U.S. still has significant national interests there and
the area is a key arena for global power politics. Can
the U.S. continue to defend its interests in the Middle
East and globally with a lower level of military and political
involvement, or should it recommit to a leading
role in the region?

By Marc Lynch

Will the United States and China, with other powerful
countries following suit, approach current and future
climate initiatives with an increased commitment to
trade protectionism and nationalism, by various measures
including trade restrictions? Or could a growing
spirit of international accord develop to confront the
“common enemy” of climate change?

By Bud Ward

Scientific advances benefit from collaboration between
researchers, but what happens when material, such as
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is controversial and important
to a nation’s national security? Is there a middle
ground between sharing information and denying
access? How can we regulate cooperation?

By Mila Rosenthal

China’s economic rise and its current policies of increasing
the role of the state in the economy have led
some U.S. policymakers to seek to deny China access
to U.S. technology and investment. This is seen as a
necessary corrective to decades of predatory Chinese
economic policies. Is this a wise strategy, and how
effective can it be?

By Jonathan Chanis

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February
2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
has come under increased scrutiny, not because
NATO troops are involved in the conflict, but because
of its role in relations between Russia and its neighbors.
Will expanding membership in NATO protect
countries, or will it further provoke Russia?

By Sarwar Kashmeri

Despite its large size, Indonesia remains virtually
invisible to most Americans. But as one of the world’s
largest democracies, the world’s largest Muslim-majority
nation, and as an economic driver of ASEAN,
why does it fly below the radar? What are current
issues in U.S.-Indonesian relations, and what role can
the country play in Asia?

By Charles Sullivan

Areas of the seas beyond national jurisdiction comprise
the high seas, which are facing a degradation of
ecosystems due to climate change and the increase
in human activities, such as shipping, overfishing,
pollution, and deep-sea mining. The recently negotiated
High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity
Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty, will attempt to
address these issues. How difficult will it be to convince
nations to participate?

By FPA editors

Looking back at the covid-19 pandemic, there are many
lessons to take away in terms of domestic and international
policies. Although this pandemic seems to have
waned, how can we apply these lessons to future pandemics?
Will countries cooperate, and will a consensus
emerge on how to manage global health challenges?

By Carolyn Reynolds