All Opinion
G8 leaders must convert words to action against sexual violence in war zonesSyria isn't the only important item on the agenda for the G8 summit in Northern Ireland this week. G8 countries are to be praised for addressing the sexual violence against women in conflict zones, but they must back up their words with funding and specific actions.
Global ViewpointNo 'Turkish spring': Protests in Turkey are sign of a healthy democracyProtests in Turkey aren鈥檛 a sign of the failure of democracy there but a sign that Turkish politics is now resilient enough to experience public discontent that strengthens participatory democracy. But聽if Recep Tayyip Erdogan聽remains insensitive to public opinion, it will cost him his job.
Father's Day: Why a 'superhero' father wants to join the Mothers AssociationWhere are the fathers? In my neighborhood, the Mothers Association gets things done. Too many men want to avoid the thankless tasks that women have performed for hundreds of patriarchal years. They're also missing out on the beautiful intimate mundanity of nurturing a human being.
Could today's Iran election be a 1975 turning point?It鈥檚 difficult to predict how Iranians will react to this election. The peeling back of even the veneer of political choice and change may be the last straw for Iranians and eventually lead to another uprising, just as the shah鈥檚 1975 scrapping of political parties helped spur the 1979 revolution.
Global ViewpointWhy boycotting Iran鈥檚 presidential election is an act of integrityIn reality, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will decide Iran's presidential election. That is why actively boycotting this election would be an act to regain dignity as well as be a mass, nonviolent uprising that could end a regime that prolongs its existence by moving Iran from crisis to crisis.
Making US humanitarian aid to Syria a political tool is ineffective 鈥� and dangerousCalls are growing to route US humanitarian aid to Syria through opposition groups, using aid as a political tool to earn the US credit with the population. This would be ineffective and dangerous. Instead more must be done to ensure the safety and access of aid groups working in Syria.
For regional stability, help Syria's internally displacedMore than 5.75 million聽Syrians have been displaced in the two-year civil war. Some have fled to neighbor countries as refugees, but 4.25 million remain in Syria. Increased aid for these internally displaced is essential to managing the refugee crisis and maintaining regional stability.- 4 factors to consider in US options for North Korea North Korea has captured global attention with its provocative behavior in recent months. What will Kim Jong-un do next? Here are four factors to consider when thinking through US options on North Korea.
Solution to NSA overreach 鈥� put people in charge of their own dataMassive US surveillance of phone records and Internet data disclosed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden should prompt a public debate on the balance between privacy and the use of personal data.聽A 'new deal on data' should put people in charge of their own communication.聽
Best way for Obama to help Syria is with aid and diplomacy 鈥� not weaponsGiving military aid to Syria's rebels 鈥� however just their cause 鈥� will only prolong the civil war and increase the risk of sectarian conflagration in the region.聽A better way to help the Syrian people is to pursue diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and provide more humanitarian aid.
On Iran's nuclear program, Obama should take a cue from JFK and 'go first'Fifty years ago, John F. Kennedy announced the US would stop nuclear tests in space. The move was meant to build trust for negotiations with the Soviets, and it worked. President Obama should follow the JFK example by, for instance, waiving some sanctions on Iran.
Why Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling won't be like Roe v. WadeSome saw Justice Ginsburg's recent questioning of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision on abortion as a sign of how it might rule on gay marriage. But unlike with Roe, if the court rules in favor of same-sex marriage, it would be in line with the democratic process and public opinion.
Global ViewpointPresident Obama must understand the nationalism of China's President XiChina's President Xi Jinping is both a nationalist and a reformer. President Obama must understand the motivations for Mr. Xi鈥檚 nationalism, so that as the two leaders meet at a summit in California today, the US-China relationship will benefit. And the world will applaud.
At US-China summit, trust is the issuePresident Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping face a full agenda, from cybertheft to North Korea, when they meet at a desert estate in California today and tomorrow. But the fundamental issue is lack of trust, which needs building over a vast array of issues.- 4 ways Obama should work with US business to combat China鈥檚 cyberspying If the US wishes to stop this Chinese economic cyber-espionage, a true public-private partnership is needed. Here are four ways President Obama should work with US business to combat Chinese cyberspying.
Why US must give military aid to Syria's rebelsThe war in Syria is at a turning point. Backed by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah militants, Bashar al-Assad has the upper hand. Ending the war requires backing him into a corner from which peace talks provide his only safe escape. US military aid for the rebels can help do that.
Flexibility in US food aid to Syria should be the rule 鈥� not the exceptionIn Syria, the US has been able to deliver food aid using a flexible approach to needs on the ground. Yet such flexibility is the exception in US aid. President Obama's聽proposed reforms would allow for more efficient practices, such as using local food supplies.
Five guidelines for US role in Syria The civil war in Syria has reached a stalemate. While strategic military steps like arming the opposition or establishing a no-fly zone present complications, the US can do other things to bring aid, support the opposition, undermine the Assad regime, and counter a rising Islamist influence. Here are five guidelines for the US in addressing the conflict in Syria:
Look to Millennial generation to balance US security needs and privacy rightsIn an age of terrorism, the Millennial generation may well find that elusive balance between security and privacy. They reflect the safety concerns of their GI grandparents, the respect for civil liberties of their baby boomer parents, and mix in their own ethic of fairness and tolerance.
Protests in Turkey must not overshadow progress with Kurd militantsJust when Turkey should receive accolades for a peace agreement with separatist Kurd militants, the government has become the target of a public backlash for its heavy-handed response to protesters. The peace deal is good for Turkey, and gives it leverage with Iran, Syria, and Iraq.
