All Opinion
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US leadership needed to prevent nuclear testing by North Korea
North Korea’s nuclear weapons test explosion underscores the need for stronger US leadership to prevent the testing, spread, and use of the world’s most dangerous weapons. US ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty would set a clear international standard.
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5 factors for peace in Afghanistan
Given that Afghanistan has been in a state of war for nearly 35 years, only a broad-based reconciliation can resolve the fighting. Peace talks are a vital part of that process. Here are five factors necessary to achieving a sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
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A civics lesson for 20-somethings
Many young people drop out of civic life because we set them up to fail. In the Obama era, we talk about social change in such grandiose terms that anything after is bound to feel insignificant in comparison. I've learned that civic engagement, above all else, requires resilience.
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The US-China relationship is vital to global stability. Good thing it isn't doomed.
President Obama and China's incoming president Xi Jinping should meet to revalidate and re-energize the US-China relationship. Whether this relationship is vital and robust, or weak and full of suspicion, will affect the whole world.
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NATO, US must shore up Libya
Today, as Libyans mark the second anniversary of the revolution that ousted Muammar Qaddafi, security conditions are bad and getting worse. Libya needs help training its security forces. Ideally, this would be a NATO mission. It could also be a US mission if NATO lacks the will.
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View from Iran: World needs rules on cyberattacks (+video)
The US believes that cyberattacks from another country can constitute an 'act of war.' This begs the question of whether the US can unilaterally engage in an unprovoked act against Iran that, according to its own standards, is unacceptable. The world needs global rules on cyberattacks, regardless of where we live and how we think, say Iran's UN diplomats.
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North Korea, China do their usual dance
North Korea and China have done it again – call it the Pyongyang-Beijing two-step. Though Beijing registered 'firm opposition' to North Korea's nuclear weapons test, it is unlikely to exercise its unique leverage on North Korea to encourage change.
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This Valentine's Day, a call to avoid the pitfalls of credit-score dating
There's a new dating trend of disclosing your credit score – and it can be a real deal-breaker for prospective couples. I'm glad credit-score dating didn't exist 18 years ago. Had I not teamed up with my wife, my credit score might have remained higher, but I would have ended up much poorer.
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Debate on gun control should ask whether Congress has power to regulate
President Obama called for more gun control in his State of the Union address last night. The effectiveness of his proposals have been the subject of heated debate. But both sides are missing the larger question: Does Congress even have the right to regulate or ban guns?
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Why EU-US free trade agreement would benefit both sides
President Obama announced in his State of the Union speech that talks will start on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States. A pact would promote growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic, writes the EU ambassador to the US.
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State of the Union: US needs a statesman, but Obama played politics as usual (+video)
President Obama devoted most of his State of the Union address to a laundry list of initiatives – and no answer for how to pay for them. Instead, he should foster bipartisan cooperation, working with Congress to build trust, bridge divides, and usher in needed reform.
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Immigration reform: Congress, Obama, and public are not so far apart
Both the bipartisan Senate plan and President Obama's proposal on immigration reform – which he's expected to mention in his State of the Union address tonight – show how Republican and Democrats aren’t as far apart on policy as politics might have us believe.
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GOP success strategy: Recruit more Hispanics (like Marco Rubio) and women
Without saying a word, Sen. Marco Rubio will send a key message to Republicans in his response to President Obama's State of the Union address. The GOP must engage minority voters, especially Hispanics, as well as women. And it must actively recruit such candidates.
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Stop blaming video games for America's gun violence
Studies show that a child playing a violent video game does not necessarily increase the likelihood that he or she will engage in real violence. Americans need to stop blaming something other than our own behaviors and ideologies for societal violence, especially gun violence.
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Israeli airstrike on Syria shows strategic strength
Despite pledges from Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah that use of force will be met with force, there has been no retaliation since Israel's airstrike inside Syria Jan. 30. Israel clearly retains the strategic high ground in the region, with full knowledge that its enemies are bogged down.
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6 ways to make tax reform happen
Here are six ideas that can guide Congress to a tax reform-deal that both parties should be able to live with – a deal that will raise necessary revenue and help pay down the debt.
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US can slow climate change with new carbon-capture technology
New innovations show that we can slow climate change. For instance, an artificial tree mimics the photosynthesis of real trees by chemically sucking CO2 out of the air. A push from Washington and other world capitals could help spur the market for such carbon-capture technology.
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US manufacturing is key to competitiveness
US global competitiveness is slipping. But there is some good news: US manufacturing is in the midst of a revival. Preparing a skilled workforce for the manufacturing sector should be one of the Obama administration’s top economic priorities. This can boost competitiveness.
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Do we want drone-architect John Brennan as CIA chief?
At John Brennan's Senate confirmation hearing, the candidate for CIA director should be asked about the killing of Americans, civilian victims of drone strikes, extraordinary renditions, and torture. Do those actions make us safer? Are they consistent with US laws and values?
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Myanmar's urgent human rights need: citizenship for 'the Roma of Asia'
Myanmar (Burma) has a long way to go on human rights. An issue that demands immediate attention is a crisis involving a sizable ethnic and religious group, the Rohingya – one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. This stateless people deserve citizenship and tolerance.
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