One part of the U.S. foreign policy establishment wants to be just, the other part wants to be tough. Neither realizes that such a distinction is the root of the problem.

Pakistan and Russia have exposed how the United States and NATO do not control the strategic lines of supply into Afghanistan. Anytime a force depends on the cooperation of parties not under its control to sustain it, it is in danger.

The U.S. withdrawal from Iraq gives Iran an opportunity to extend its sphere of influence from Afghanistan to the Mediterranean. This has made bringing about the collapse of Tehran's allies in Syria a central part of a regional containment strategy against Iran. (With STRATFOR map)

Europe's crisis extends well beyond finance.

The question hovering over the European Union is not whether Europe will emerge as a unified force, but how divided Europe will become.

Russia is shoring itself up in anticipation of a new U.S. geopolitical surge after Washington turns its attention from the Middle East and South Asia.

While the stakes in the Libyan crisis are not terribly high, the lesson of Iraq is a different story given the potential for a reshaped region.

Washington's struggle in the Middle East since the 9/11 attacks appears to have entered a new phase. (With STRATFOR map)

The sectarian unrest that broke out Oct. 9 shows how the Egyptian opposition's assumption of a move toward democracy is grinding against reality.

Though Europe is working through its current woes, the question of whether this addresses the fundamental problem of Europe -- which is political and geopolitical -- remains.