Introduction

The most significant challenges for American foreign policy stem from a handful of global hotspots, which we can define as focal points of international concern, either because of their geostrategic importance or because of their risk of escalating conflict and instability. These are countries that attract heightened attention because their local or regional issues risk destabilizing global peace, security, or prosperity. In this book, we introduce the reader to eight such areas or issues: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, the Ukraine War, Israel and Palestine, the Sahel, and the Caribbean Basin. We describe the issues that motivate these flashpoints and the actors involved in policymaking. We assess the interests of both the United States and other nations in these hotspots and delve into the debates and critiques that animate American foreign policy there.