All The Monitor's View
-
Immigration bill and Obama's trip to Mexico: Why the two are linked
President Obama's trip to Mexico will help better integrate the two economies. And a piece of the Senate immigration-reform bill focuses on integrating the mainly Mexican population of undocumented immigrants. Each country must respect the other's sensitivities on these two integrations.
-
Revenge, or fear of it, must not lead Syria to chemical warfare
President Obama and other world leaders must speak directly to both Assad and rebel leader about avoiding revenge killings. That is necessary to prevent escalation of the war with chemical weapons.
-
In China and US, a values upheaval as economies slow
As the economy slows, Beijing leaders try to push a 'China dream.' In the US, the 'American dream" has shifted to a desire for economic security. The two global giants need watching as their values norms shift.
-
Of one mind about chemical weapons and protecting the innocent
Probable evidence of chemical-gas use in Syria may soon force world leaders to intervene. Their decision should be based on a principle enshrined in a global ban of such weapons – a respect for the innocence of civilians in not being harmed by this indiscriminate tool of war.
-
In a gathering of presidents, a model for Washington
Five current and past US presidents met Thursday for the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library The conviviality and civility should set a standard for politicians.
-
What history should record of the Boston bombings
Just as memorable as the Boston bombings was the shared, collective response. Yet the focus remains on divisions, such as classifying the bombers by their background and motives. Isn't the display of shared humanity just as important?
-
Europe's ideals win a Serbia-Kosovo pact
An agreement approved Monday by Serbia and Kosovo will put an official end to 1990s genocidal conflict. It also serves as a model for ending other conflicts driven by ethnic, religious, and land disputes.
-
Search for motives in Boston bombing: What it means for everyone
What might have motivated suspects Tamerland and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the Boston bombings? Simplistic answers – say, Islamic militancy or immigrant anger – may not suffice. Yet knowing such motives may help everyone act to prevent such attacks.
-
The right way to put more women in boardrooms
Japan and Germany each announced goals last week to put more women in top company slots. Yet their approaches differ. And new research indicates gender qualities can't be stereotyped according to sexual differences. This suggests official bias based on sex could be misplaced.
-
Post-bomb faith service for Boston reaches for the light
Three days after the Boston Marathon bombing, President Obama and local clergy join in a healing service that shows how to respond to the hatred of a terrorist act.
-
What the immigration reform bill still needs
The eight senators who crafted an immigration reform bill deserve praise for finding a bipartisan compromise. But the bill needs a theme other than economics and security to help place immigration's role in defining the nation's identity.
-
The challenge in the Boston Marathon bombing
The act of terror in the Boston Marathon bombing was swiftly met by acts of help and comfort for victims and others. Such actions point to the need to affirm all of that which the bomber sought to destroy.
-
Alternative currencies like bitcoin are a mirror of their users
The e-currency bitcoin spiked and then fell last week, sowing doubts about alternative currencies, whether on the Internet or in local communities. Such experiments need a firm basis of trust.
-
Looking for Obama's agenda in Syria
As killings in Syria worsen, more people look to Obama for action. But the mental preparation for action doesn't start with the White House.
-
Is an end to war-time rape at a tipping point?
The G8 nations agreed Thursday to a British plan to go after those who rape in war zones, hoping to end this atrocity as a weapon in conflicts. Perhaps this big-power move will mark a historic shift in ending a global problem.
-
A path to peace in land, resource disputes
A Taiwan-Japan agreement on fisheries near the Senkaku islands sets a model for China in avoiding dangerous moves on island claims.
-
Are gun politics too complex? Simplicity would help.
As the Newtown families plead for Congress to act, lawmakers – and President Obama – admit to the complexity of gun issues. Scholars on simplicity offer some ideas.
-
What made Margaret Thatcher special in her time
Margaret Thatcher's leadership qualities were essential for Britain and the world of the 1980s, but her failings also provide lessons for leaders today.
-
Can hope replace North Korea's fears?
The escalation of fear between North Korea and the US reveals the danger of relying too much on fear of retaliatory nuclear attacks as a strategy for defense. The difficult task of replacing North Korea's fears with hopes of peace and prosperity must continue.
-
Facebook 'Home' as metaphor for an innovative economy
The new Facebook 'Home' is designed for a pure social experience, or encouraging more collaboration – the very quality needed to drive innovation in the workplace and spur economic growth.
Become part of the Monitor community