Jagdish Bhagwati says the service sector is no less technologically progressive or vital than manufacturing to an economy.

Amity Shlaes comments on current "tax brawls" among U.S. states.

Mohamad Bazzi argues that as U.S. troops in Iraq became mired in fighting an insurgency, Iran extended its influence.

Robert Danin, fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations answers questions about the resumed direct Middle East peace talks in this conference call.

Severe political constraints on Israeli and Palestinian leaders cloud the prospects for progress in direct talks due to start later this week, says CFR's Steven A. Cook.

Severe political constraints on Israeli and Palestinian leaders cloud the prospects for progress in direct talks due to start later this week, says CFR's Steven A. Cook.

David Brooks writes that progress on Iraq's economic growth, basic security, and political and legal institutions shows U.S. nation building efforts in Iraq have worked.

North Korea's elites prepare for a new regime they hope will look at lot like the current one.

Charles A. Kupchan says the European Union may be coming to an end.

Iraqis worry that political stalemate, widespread corruption, and weak domestic security forces will plague their country if the U.S. pulls out completely next year, says veteran journalist Jane Arraf.

A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org.

The Pentagon recognizes the catastrophic threat posed by cyberwarfare, and is partnering with allied governments and private companies to prepare itself.

Daisy Khan discusses the national and international implications of the debate surrounding the proposal to build a community center and mosque near the World Trade Center site.

This call was part of CFR's Outreach Initiative. Learn more about CFR's Religion and Foreign Policy Initiative and State and Local Officials Initiative.

Pakistan's devastating floods and Russia's massive heat wave this summer have placed new scrutiny on the role of climate change. Experts worry about the pace of government policy responses.

In this CMEPSP report, economists Joseph Stiglitz, Amartya Sen, and Jean Paul Fitoussi analyze the limits of GDP as an indicator of economic performance and social progress and assess alternative measurements of performance.

These teaching notes, by author and CFR Adjunct Fellow Jeffrey Mankoff, feature discussion questions and additional projects for educators to supplement the Council Special Report The Russian Economic Crisis. In this report, Dr. Mankoff examines the domestic and foreign policy consequences of the economic downturn that hit Russia in late 2008, and how the shift in the political debate inside Russia influenced its perceptions of the outside world.

Dismal U.S. housing data and uncertainty over the Obama administration's housing plans are adding to fears of another recession--and raising new concerns over the global recovery.

These teaching notes, by author and CFR Senior Fellow Sebastian Mallaby, feature discussion questions and additional projects for educators to supplement the CFR book More Money Than God: Hedge Funds and the Making of a New Elite. In this book, Mr. Mallaby gives an insider’s view on the origin and evolution of hedge funds in the broader context of the history of modern finance through extensive research and numerous case studies.

Speech

Five experts address the controversy over the proposed Islamic center near the 9/11 attack site in New York, the foreign policy implications, and how the issue should be resolved.