Great Decisions In Foreign Policy

As alliances in the Middle East shift, the US finds itself between a rock and a hard place, so the US must innovate to secure its interests in the region.

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is arguably one of the biggest threats to the US' interests. Born out of an umbrella organisation of Al Qaeda in Iraq, ISIS burst onto the international stage after it seized Falluja in 2013.

Kurdistan - a mountainous region made up of parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Syria - is home to one of the largest ethnic groups in West Asia: the Kurds, so the success of Iraqi Kurdistan impacts Kurds in the surrounding regions.

Owing to the record number of migrants seeking refuge in Europe, world leaders must balance border security with humanitarian concerns.

At the end of World War II, Korea was divided in two: the northern half of the Korean peninsula was occupied by the Soviet Union; the southern by the United States - today, North and South Korea could not be further apart in their differences.

In early 2016, the United Nations stands at a crossroads: with the ensuing appointment of the ninth secretary-general, the next President is predicted to have to deal with many complex issues.