Former US Ambassador to the UN JOHN BOLTON:
- The crumbling state of Ukraine and the lack of response from the US government
- U.S. inability to handle multiple international problems at once due to the ongoing hollowing out of the military—a world power should not need to pivot
- The American stance in the Middle East and towards Iran
CHARLOTTE FLORANCE, Research Associate for Economic Freedom in Africa and the Middle East at The Heritage Foundation:
- Key takeaways from the recent reelection of Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and the domestic challenges he will face during his next term. Is this ill, mostly-absent man being used by the Algerian military to maintain domestic stability?
- Understanding the political and ideological transition underway between Islamists and secular groups within Algeria.
- Algeria's role on the global market as a key natural gas surrogate to Russia
- The ongoing violent rift between Muslims and Christians in Central African Republic (CAR), and concern from neighboring states of a possible spill-over of violence
ADAM KREDO of the Washington Free Beacon:
- More delays in the Guantanamo Bay pre-trials of some of the 9/11 perpetrators. Amidst claims that the FBI asked a defense attorney to act as an informant, relatives fear the federal government is purposefully trying to cause a mistrial and force a move to civilian court.
- Questions over Iran's compliance with deal to scale back its nuclear weapons program
GORDON CHANG of forbes.com:
- President Obama's upcoming visit to Asia and the importance of this trip in maintaining US allies in the region
- A growing nationalistic outlook in China to make up for lagging economic growth, and the resulting changes in the political system that are leading it to resemble the old Mao regime