. Nonetheless, as the Syrian crisis continues to threaten the security of all the Levantine states and the Iranian issue continues its slow boil, greater cooperation should be expected between the two. The rapprochement is real; the question is, does it matter?

In the age of Facebook, Google and Twitter, is rock really still as important a vehicle to convey the message of freedom?

With its soft-power overtures, China has tried to expand its influence without disquieting its neighbors and trade partners. But through its hard-power posturing, China has achieved the exact opposite.

Despite the promise of wider editorial latitude, CCTV America's coverage of China is largely scrubbed of controversy and upbeat in tone, with a heavy emphasis on business and cultural stories in places where Beijing hopes to gain influence.

Russia's new NGO law is more than a move against organizations receiving foreign funding. It is part of a broader campaign to squeeze out those the Kremlin sees as peddlers of "soft power."

If the United States and other nations persist in engaging with China within the realm of public diplomacy, China might be nudged toward increased openness. This could enable the newest superpower to continue to rely on soft power.

The Arab Spring will span many, many seasons. Free speech is a necessary but not sufficient condition to create better government, long-term stability and better economic opportunities in the developing world.

NATO is like the Tyrannosaurus Rex -- a fearsome fighter wielding unmatchable hard power. Of course, for the Tyrannosaurus hard power was not enough. It became extinct. NATO is still with us... for now.

Americans are at one of the most significant crossroads in their history. If we're still the leader of the world, or still want to be, then we as a nation need to act like more like a leader and less like a bully because, quite frankly, we can't get away with it anymore.

It seemed that state violence as a vehicle for change was back in fashion. But did either of these conflicts produce clear-cut positive results? Hardly. Far more hopeful have been the recent stories out of Myanmar and the Arab world.

Geographically, Iran may be far away from the Americas but its growing presence in Venezuela is a serious danger. It is not a joke.

Education is the most important foundation that the U.S. can invest in, and test scores across the country are rapidly falling behind the rest of the world. Instead of having children aspire to become reality television stars.

China will not easily capture hearts and minds. They will be an economic superpower only. The Chinese are ethnocentric and in large ways and small, an instinct to narrowly defend interests can be off putting.

Governmental cultural diplomacy can sometimes come off as forced or out-of-touch, but K-pop is an authentic reflection and spectacle of youth culture that is impressively close to the pulse of the "global cool."

For much of the past decade, "soft power" has been touted as a means for making foreign policy more effective by emphasizing enticement rather than coercion, conversation rather than conflict.

A Soldier's Dream: Captain Travis Patriquin and the Awakening of Iraq highlights the efforts of one soldier whose dream helped capture the momentum of the Sunni "Awakening" in Iraq in 2006.

Last week, U.S. President Barack Obama and Congress struggled until the 11th hour to agree on budget cuts that would avert a government shutdown. The ...

As we reflect on this moment, it is worth remembering our moral power is even more relevant in this century than the last -- our foreign policy and national security structures must finally reflect this.