The U.S. economy has been doing poorly for so long now that it's easy to get dispirited. But there are several reasons to think 2012 might be a good one for American economic performance.

The author examines how countries reassess their social welfare programs.

Cricket and baseball are twin brothers, separated at birth.

An unfortunate aspect of national discourse on Afghanistan has been a loss of focus on how South Asia fits more broadly into the wider Asian region and beyond. This means measuring U.S. actions in South Asia against two broader yardsticks: their impact on the spread of radical Islam and on hegemonic Chinese ambitions in Asia.

As Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, China's next leader, visits with President Obama this week, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) China expert Daniel (Dan) Blumenthal examines US-China relations.

Where is the Indian political grouping that emphasises growth over equity, seeks equality of opportunity rather than outcome, celebrates the private sector as an engine of economic prosperity, and champions the cause of a strong military?

Last month, the Drug Enforcement Administration abruptly revoked the narcotics license held by the distributor Cardinal Health, preventing that firm from shipping prescription pain drugs to thousands of Florida pharmacies and hospitals. It's the latest tactic in the DEA's struggle to stem the illicit use of prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin.

How does Japan begin to rebuild? What are the long-term strategic implications of the disaster for the US-Japan alliance? At this AEI event, an expert panel will address these and other questions.