SPOTLIGHT: AFGHANISTAN

Reuters/Reuters TV - Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment rest following a raid on the town of Babo Kheyl in Eastern Afghanistan.
In an address to the nation planned for next week, President Obama will outline his long-awaited Afghanistan policy. In an effort to destroy al Qaeda and weaken the Taliban, the president is expected to call for a surge of approximately 32,000 to 35,000 American troops. Brookings scholars continue to debate many of the issues related to the war in Afghanistan.
Learn More
In Focus: U.S. Economy

Reuters/Andy Clark - Workers repair the rail line after a rock slide blocked the road and railroad.
Bruce Katz and Robert Puentes, November 20, 2009
With rising concern about the nation’s anemic job numbers, infrastructure has emerged as a centerpiece of a number of proposed “jobs bills.” Bruce Katz and Robert Puentes point out that infrastructure is not necessarily a cure-all and outline the federal leadership and strategies necessary for successful investment in the way we move goods, people and power.
Read More
Infrastructure, U.S. Economic Growth, U.S. Economy, Labor Markets, Unemployment
Past Event: Arms Control

Reuters - A U.S. Air force B-52 bomber drops a load of M117 750lb, it can carry nuclear or conventional ordnance with worldwide precision navigation capability.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Washington, DC
The issue of strategic nuclear arms reductions now tops the U.S.-Russia agenda, particularly as the countries strive to conclude a new nuclear arms agreement to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires on December 5. The Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings hosted Georgiy Mamedov, Russia's ambassador to Canada, for a conversation on the lessons learned from U.S.-Russian arms control efforts in the 1990s. Brookings President Strobe Talbott and Senior Fellow Steven Pifer also shared their thoughts and experiences.
Read More
Arms Control, Russia