Syrian series

­Why is the Arab League so concerned about the protests in Syria? How far will the Turks go? Should the international community help the rebels, and what options does it have? Is there any way to stop violence in the country without turning it into a new Libya or Iraq? CrossTalking with James Carafano, Nick Ottens and James Morris on February 10.

Socialmania

­Facebook has 850 million users, with over half logging in daily. How quickly will it continue to grow? Will its IPO only contribute to a new tech bubble? Will Facebook’s success among users translate into sizeable profits? Will Mark Zuckerberg and investors find common language? And will Facebook have to create a breakthrough to generate more money? CrossTalking with Peter Leeds, Gareth...

Braveheart 2.0

­Can Scotland survive without UK support? Or do burdensome UK policies mean it will be better off on its own? Can Scotland’s oil resources guarantee the welfare of the Scottish people? Should the Scots vote for independence – and if so, which currency will they use, and will they be able to afford their own army? CrossTalking with Kenneth Gibson, William Bain and David Kopel on Feb. 6.

Obamney

­How conservative is Mitt Romney? Whose values does he represent? Since Obamania seems to have fizzled, can Romney overshadow Obama? Who has the best chance of beating Obama? Why is Mitt Romney not concerned about the very poor? And will the 99% vote for somebody who represents the 1%? CrossTalking with Katrina Pierson, Jon McHenry and Doug Thornell on Feb. 3.

Syrious rebels

­Will the international community resort to force in Syria? What if Assad stays in power for much longer than most experts predict? And will Syrians be able to topple the Assad government without foreign interference? Is Syria the next Libya or will it follow its own unique path? CrossTalking with Marwa Daoudy, Maximilian Forte and David Pollock on Feb. 1.

Sanctioning peace

­Is Iran trying to intimidate its neighbors? How much of a threat is it to the US? Will tougher sanctions on Tehran solve any of the problems? Who will suffer from the pressure on Iranian oil exports? Will the UN nuclear agency delegation be able to clarify things, and what will its final conclusion be based on? CrossTalking with John Robson, Mamdouh G Salameh and Nader Bagherzadeh on January...

Uncivil Libya

­What does the post-Gaddafi era look like? Where will new Libyan leaders come from? And is there any future for the NTC? Is the civil war still unraveling? CrossTalking with Diana Johnstone, Nick Meo and Dirk Vandewalle on January 27.

Wounded revolution

What else should Egyptians do to ensure the Mubarak era is over? How to keep the revolutionary spirit alive? Will the newly elected parties fulfill their promises under SCAF? When will the Council transfer power to civilian rule? Will there be any reason for the military to stay in power? And why aren’t the secular democratic parties as popular as the West would like them to be? Bradley Blakeman...

Buying elections

­How have Super PACs changed the face of campaigns? Are there too many Super PACs? How have they changed the tone of the debate? Do the ads they produce really help Americans figure out who is a better candidate? And can voters see who’s spending these unlimited amounts of money on campaigns? CrossTalking with Craig Holman, Seton Motley and Arun Gupta on January 23.

SOPA police

­How do we protect intellectual property rights online without imposing draconian rules on the Internet? Are SOPA’s aims valid? Do SOPA and PIPA represent only the rights holders? And how do we create an effective mechanism that will fit an innovative digital world? CrossTalking with Jason Mazzone, Wayne Rash and Daniel Castro on Jan. 20.