Barack Obama came to Washington just six years ago, having spent his professional life as a part-time lawyer, part-time law professor, and part-time state legislator in Illinois. As an undergraduate, he took courses in history and international relations, but neither his academic life nor his work in Springfield gave him an especially profound grasp of foreign affairs. As he coasted toward winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, in 2004, he began to reach out to a broad range of foreign-policy experts––politicians, diplomats, academics, and journalists... Read More

Chengdu in June burst with life. The flowers were out, the markets awash with watermelons, and a scent of jasmine pervaded the air. After nightfall you’d see some people in the crowd laughing and others crying. Life was like a lavish banquet in a graveyard, with death fluttering smilingly around us.Chengdu in June burst with life. The flowers were out, the markets awash with watermelons, and a scent of jasmine pervaded the air. After nightfall you’d see some people in the crowd laughing and others crying. Life was like a lavish banquet in a graveyard, with death fluttering smilingly around us... Read More