For long after the Berlin Wall was toppled, NATO seemed to be morally adrift as its primary raison d'être, opposing the Soviet Union, vanished. A flicker of meaning was returned to it after 9/11 as the 'global war on terror' took form, and the specter of Islamic terrorism hit Bali,...

I remember an old line from the West Wing, when Pres. Jed Bartlett faced off against a retiring Justice who snarled: 'Americans like guts, and Republicans have got 'em.' In the last year, both sides have lived up to their stereotypes. The Republicans, despite a potentially crippling majority, have dominated...

I will make a rather bold proposition. President Obama understands how to work with the Chinese government better than any recent US President.

Facing a barrage of criticism on his return from his recent Asia tour, President Obama saw supporters and critics alike lambast him for his visit to...

Driving through Rio de Janeiro's posh Ipanema district, John Wayne is master of all he surveys. He knows the city inside out, having driven a cab here for 30 years. "Rio lost its way," he says. "The Olympics can give us back our soul. The favela kids, the beach party...