Foreign & Security Policy

In this commentary, former UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom Koenigs, discusses the outcome of the London Conference with a focus on US and German engagement in reconstructing Afghanistan.

FRIDE, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and CEPS are teaming up for a stock-take of transatlantic relations after the first year of the Obama administration.

Nine years after 9/11 and all the blood and treasure expended on efforts in the region, President Barack Obama told People magazine on January 11 that 'the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan remains the epicenter of al’ Qaeda, their leadership and their extremist allies.

December 28, 2009This publication is designed to provide a differentiated view of Pakistan’s complex political processes and social challenges to a broad international audience. Authors from a variety of disciplines present their analyses of Pakistan’s deficits and shortcomings, as well as their ideas and visions for a more democratic and peaceful future.

The risk of nuclear anarchy is no longer a distant horror scenario; it has entered the realms of possibility. Heinrich Böll Foundation held its tenth Annual Foreign Policy Conference on September 10 and 11.

In the largest transnational elections ever, millions of voters across the 27 nations of the European Union (EU) went to the polls from June 4-7 to elect the 736 members of the European parliament. These elections will kick off an intense political season for the EU, which will include the appointment of a new EU commission and a final vote on the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland later this year.

In May, President Obama submitted to Congress the full details of his first budget request, for Fiscal Year 2010.This report offers an in-depth analysis of Obama’s attempts to support democracy, governance, and human rights in the Broader Middle East and North Africa.

May 2009Thomas C. Hilde outlines several post-Guantánamo detainee policy proposals – and their difficulties – that address these distinctive sets of issues, such as military commission trials, continued preventive detention, a national security court or U.S. criminal court trials. In the long run, however, restoring credibility through a reformed detainee policy is only one component of post-Guantánamo credibility; the second indispensable element is accountability

President Obama has approached the European Union to become more active in Iraq, and the EU itself has expressed interested to re-engage. But what can, and what should, Europe do? And how shall this be articulated with the American effort?

With a new American president and administration now in office, an opportunity has arisen for revitalizing the transatlantic partnership. In his remarks, Czech Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg offered thoughts on new priorities and approaches to U.S. - Europe relations, including on dealing with the challenges posed by the Middle East, Afghanistan, Russia and questions such as energy security and coping with climate change.