President Obama heralded progress in Iraq, asked Americans to brace for hard days ahead in Afghanistan, and touted seminal moments in Tunisia and Sudan in a State of the Union speech on Jan. 25. The president largely focused on the economy and jobs in this year's address, while covering the major international developments in the last ten minutes or so of his hour-long speech, beginning with Iraq.

“This year, our civilians have come down, and a new government has been formed,” Obama said of the Iraqi government. “This year, our civilians will forge a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people, while we finish the job of bringing our troops out of Iraq. America’s commitment has been kept; the Iraq war is coming to an end,” he said to widespread applause. Listen to the audio of a recent USIP event on Iraq's new government and learn about other recent developments in Iraq.

The president continued to touch on other significant foreign policy matters.

On Afghanistan: “Thanks to our heroic troops and civilians, fewer Afghans are under the control of the insurgency. There will be tough fighting ahead, and the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance. But we are strengthening the capacity of the Afghan people and building an enduring partnership with them. This year, we will work with nearly 50 countries to begin a transition to an Afghan lead. And this July, we will begin to bring our troops home,” Obama said. Read USIP’s Peace Brief, “Afghan High Peace Council Fails to Reflect Afghan Civil Society” by Patricia Gossman and learn about the Institute's work in Afghanistan.

On Pakistan: “In Pakistan, al Qaeda’s leadership is under more pressure than at any point since 2001. Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the battlefield. Their safe-havens are shrinking. And we have sent a message from the Afghan border to the Arabian Peninsula to all parts of the globe: we will not relent, we will not waver, and we will defeat you,” he said. Learn about USIP’s “Future of Pakistan” event on Jan. 31 with Brooking’s Bruce Riedel, Georgetown University’s Christine Fair, USIP’s Andrew Wilder and several other top experts.

On the referendum in Sudan: “Recent events have shown us that what sets us apart must not just be our power – it must be the purpose behind it. In South Sudan – with our assistance – the people were finally able to vote for independence after years of war. Thousands lined up before dawn. People danced in the streets. One man who lost four of his brothers at war summed up the scene around him: 'This was a battlefield for most of my life. Now we want to be free.'" Learn about USIP’s event on Sudan Feb. 2 with USIP’s Linda Bishai, Jon Temin, Timothy Luccaro and Jok Madut Jok and watch USIP's experts talk about the referendum in Sudan.

On Iran: “Because of a diplomatic effort to insist that Iran meet its obligations, the Iranian government now faces tougher and tighter sanctions than ever before,” he said. USIP’s Robin Wright assesses Obama’s remarks on Iran: “From now through the 2012 election, Iran is likely to be an area of policy differences between the Obama administration and Republicans on the Hill,” Wright e-mails. “Obama’s policy of engagement with Iran, which he unveiled during his own campaign, has not produced any tangible progress or compromise with Tehran. The president did not outline any steps or initiative to increase pressure on the Islamic Republic.” Explore the “The Iran Primer," covering everything from politics to the country’s nuclear program, the Green Movement, the military and more, edited by USIP’s and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars’ Robin Wright.

On the Korean Peninsula: “And on the Korean peninsula, we stand with our ally South Korea, and insist that North Korea keeps its commitment to abandon nuclear weapons,” he said. Learn about USIP's work on the Korean Peninsula and read a recent interview with USIP's John Park about tensions in the region and U.S. policy. Read USIP's analysis of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

On Tunisia: “We saw that same desire to be free in Tunisia, where the will of the people proved more powerful than the writ of a dictator. And tonight, let us be clear: the United States of America stands with the people of Tunisia, and supports the democratic aspirations of all people,” he said. Read USIP’s Dan Brumberg's piece for CNN.com titled “Why the Tunisia Revolt Could be Huge."

On Nuclear Nonproliferation: “American leadership can also be seen in the effort to secure the worst weapons of war. Because Republicans and Democrats approved the New START Treaty, far fewer nuclear weapons and launchers will be deployed. Because we rallied the world, nuclear materials are being locked down on every continent so they never fall into the hands of terrorists,” he said. Learn more about this issue and the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture. Also, learn about an upcoming course on "21st Century Issues in Strategic Arms Control and Nuclear Nonproliferation," offered by USIP's Academy for International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding.

While the majority of the president’s message was on jobs, innovation, tax reform and competition, he attempted to inspire hope that the U.S. could “win the future,” as he put it. Citing the example set by a small Pennsylvania firm that had provided a drilling technology to help free the Chilean miners late last year, Obama said the country is ready and able to move forward.

“We do big things,” he said.