Allies & Enemies of the United States

George C. Marshall, the 50th U.S. Secretary of State, earned a Nobel prize for his humanitarian efforts in rebuilding war-torn Europe.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, first opened for signing in 1968, was the first major international treaty aimed at curbing the development of nuclear weapons.

The United States has cut promised food aid to North Korea in the wake of that country's failed missile launch on April 12, 2012.

The United States and the international community were on North Korea missile watch in mid-April 2012 as that country announced plans to launch a satellite into orbit.

Diplomatic events in the "special relationship" between the United States and Great Britain after World War II.

A look at the "special relationship" of U.S. and British diplomacy during the two world wars.

A look at 19th Century events in the diplomatic "special relationship" between the United States and Great Britain.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced a three-step plan for a democratic Syria, but it faces plenty of obstacles.

U.S. foreign aid to Afghanistan attempts to bolster governmental and economic foundations before 2014 when Afghanistan transitions to self-sufficiency.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's policy of "fight, talk, build" regarding the U.S. war in Afghanistan appeared to make progress in January 2012 as the Taliban opened an office in Qatar.

While the United States has had some sort of sanction levied against Iran for most of 30 years, few of them have levered Iran into compliance with international rules regarding terrorism or nuclear energy. By early 2012, however, evidence appears to be mounting that sanctions -- both by the U.S. and its global allies -- are hurting Iran.

The explosion that killed Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan in Tehran, January 11, 2012, set off a war of words, suspicion, and accusations between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Here is a rundown of events.

Relations between the U.S. and Iran, always bad, worsened in January 2012 as Iran sentenced a captive American citizen to death and verified it was enriching uranium. Meanwhile, Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited American antagonists Venezuela and Cuba.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry says he would send troops back to Iraq.

Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz points out the strategic value of many straits to U.S. foreign policy.

Is Korean denuclearization more or less likely after the death of Kim Jong Il?

Obama, Panetta Formally End Iraq War

The Treaty of Ghent, signed on Christmas Eve, 1814, ended the War of 1812 and established a new foreign policy dynamic between the United States and Great Britain.

The United States opened a "virtual" embassy in Tehran, Iran, on December 6, 2011; within 12 hours the government of Iran blocked the site from Iranian internet users.

On December 7, 1941, nearly 90 years of American-Japanese diplomatic relations spiraled into World War II in the Pacific. That descent is the story of how the foreign policies of the two nations backed each other into situations they could only solve with war.

United States President Barack Obama spent much of November 2011 shoring up U.S. trade, diplomatic, and military interests in the Asia-Pacific region.

The United States and Australia have a long history of cooperative relations, much of it the result of shared wartime experiences.

The week of November 6, 2011, brought new worries about Iran's nuclear program.

The Fourteen Points were Woodrow Wilson's ambitious plan for peace at the end of World War I.

President Barack Obama's order to send 100 troops to help track down Ugandan guerrilla leader Joseph Kony is part a larger U.S. foreign policy commitment to Uganda.

On October 21, 2011, President Barack Obama announced the end of U.S. involvement in the Iraq War.

While the US has never formally severed relations with Somalia, that country's lack of any official government prevents real diplomacy. The US, however, continues to support foreign aid projects to help famine-stricken, impoverished Somalis.

George W. Bush increasingly found his foreign policy at odds with Russian policies. President Obama is trying to connect with President Medvedev on matters of policy as well as at a personal level. Both sides are interested in building a new relationship between the United States and Russia.

North Korea is considered one of the biggest threats to global piece and is a long-time adversary of the United States.

The president of Cuba, Fidel Castro, has been an intractable adversary of the United States since the Cuban Revolution. Find out all about Fidel Castro.

NATO is the world's largest military alliances, made up of some of the US's most steadfast allies.