December 2000
Resource Competition and World Politics in the Twenty-First Century
by Michael T. Klare
"Resource issues will likely affect world affairs significantly in the years ahead. This impact may not always take the form of discord and conflict, but will certainly demand growing attention from policymakers. Whether in the economic, environmental, or political-military area, resource concerns are certain to rise on the international policy agenda."

December 2000
The Energy Question, Again
by Vaclav Smil
"Abundant, inexpensive, and reliable energy is taken for granted, and the citizens of rich countries seem to expect this to continue indefinitely. Reality is different: this veritable fairytale is threatened by many changes-some of which are already upon us, others that are discernible on the horizon."

December 2000
The Global State of Democracy
by Larry Diamond
"The progress of democracy in the world over the last quarter-century has been nothing less than remarkable. . . . But if the reach of democracy is greater than ever, it is also thinner and more vulnerable."

December 2000
Humanitarian Intervention: The Lessons Learned
by Chantal de Jonge Oudraat
In determining how they should react to internal crises in other countries, the nations of the world need to answer three questions: "First, under what conditions should international actors intervene in internal conflicts?. . . When international action is required, which international actors should take the lead and who should participate in these operations? . . . [And third,] What are the best ways of carrying out international interventions in internal conflicts?"

December 2000
America’s Retreat from Multilateral Engagement
by Stewart Patrick
"Since the end of the cold war, the United States has demonstrated a growing willingness to act alone and to opt out of multilateral initiatives. Whether tiring of its international obligations, preoccupied with domestic concerns, or tempted to exploit its hegemony, the country has in a number of prominent instances withdrawn from collective initiatives, demanded exemptions from global rules, shirked commitments to international organizations, or extended its domestic law extraterritorially."