Foreign Affairs Magazine

“China has not yet managed to convince a majority of the planet’s people that its intentions and capabilities are the ones needed to shape the twenty-first century. But it is up to the United States and its allies and partners to create an affirmative and compelling alternative.”

On “The Foreign Affairs Interview,” Ali Vaez and Suzanne Maloney discuss where the conflict between Israel and Iran could go next—and how to bring the two sides back from the brink of war. Start listening here: https://trib.al/eNWk9nh

Oona Hathaway examines the evolution of international humanitarian law, also known as the law of war—and weighs in on whether the humanitarian protections established in the wake of World War II will survive the challenges presented by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza:

In our May/June issue, find Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Richard Fontaine on the convergence of America’s adversaries, Evan Medeiros on the dangers of assuming that Chinese power is in decline, and much more. Start reading here:

War Unbound: Gaza, Ukraine, and the Breakdown of International Law

If Washington wants to maintain its influence in the Middle East after the war in Gaza, it must start paying attention to Arab public opinion—and adjust U.S. policy accordingly, argues Marc Lynch.

“Having its cake and eating it, too—enduring as a great power with recaptured economic dynamism, avoiding sweeping concessions to the West or lasting subservience to China, dominating Eurasia—would require reversals beyond Russia’s ability to engineer.”

Read Alex de Waal and Mulugeta Gebrehiwot Berhe on the roots of Ethiopia’s ongoing crisis—and how the United States and its partners in the Middle East can help the country avoid further violent fragmentation.

“The Arab states can play a crucial role in preventing further escalation between Iran and Israel.” Read Dalia Dassa Kaye and Sanam Vakil on how Arab states can help strengthen lines of communication between Israel and Tehran—and help stabilize the Middle East in the process.

Read Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Richard Fontaine on the threat posed by growing cooperation among China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia—and how the United States and its partners can prevent this new axis from upending the current world order.