All The Monitor's View
- Are Obama's state-of-the-union ideas the antidote to economic fears?As President Obama travels after his State of the Union speech to rally support for his proposals, he must also deal with a rising mood of pessimism about the economy. Fear of the future must not be allowed to feed on itself.
- For Obama's second term, a call to arms controlFrom gun control to nuclear-weapons cuts to drone warfare, Obama's second term may be highlighted by a need to define new concepts of security for instruments of aggression.
- Obama's hidden nonplan to arm rebels in SyriaNews that Obama vetoed a plan by his senior security staff to arm Syrian rebels reveals the extent of his humanitarian impulse. But he must also protect the new UN doctrine of a 'responsibility to protect' by being more open about his Syrian strategy.
- A rightful airing of Obama drone policyIn the latest concern over war tactics against terrorists, President Obama had to release his guidelines for the use of drones in targeted killings. To help ensure constancy and consistency in civic values during wartime, Congress must openly debate this policy.
- Higher ed and lower jobs: What's needed in the new economyMore jobs rely on intangible qualities rather than measurable goods, knowledge, or skills. Countries and colleges, too, must look to the invisible assets of social, intellectual, and organizational 'capital."
- A comforting arm to curb Army suicidesA record in military suicides, despite many new prevention programs, points to a need to change military culture to help detect those in need and make it easier to get help.
- Need for textbook examples of peace in Israeli-Palestinian conflictA major, US-funded analysis of textbooks used in Israeli and Palestinian schools finds few examples of each side demonizing the other. Rather, inaccurate maps and lack of information show a need to educate the next generation toward reconciliation.
- Why states shouldn't cash in on Super Bowl oddsA federal court case against a New Jersey law allowing sports gambling shows why betting on sports will only damage athletic competition 鈥 as well as bettors.
- After Chicago shooting of girl, a fresh look at gang gun violenceThe tragic shooting of an innocent and promising Chicago teenager must reinforce attention on the best ways to curb urban gang violence. One key approach: police-clergy coalitions.
- Answers to gun violence may lie in nonsmoking campaignsEven as a Senate hearing on gun violence draws ideas from both Gabrielle Giffords and the NRA, a lesson in curbing a risky product like guns can be found in the recent history of nonsmoker rights.
- Egypt's protests reveal deficit of trust in Muslim BrotherhoodOpen defiance of Egypt's president in street protests shows how much the Muslim Brotherhood needs to leave Islam outside the door of democracy.
- Immigration reform as a path to conscience, not just citizenshipA bipartisan plan on immigration reform by a group of senators reflects tough terms for forgiving most illegal immigrants. President Obama, too, must adopt only an amnesty that strongly contributes to rule of law.
- The listening legacy of Hillary Rodham ClintonThe legacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of State may be in her enhancement of the diplomatic art of listening to other peoples 鈥 especially women 鈥 and not only world leaders. With President Obama honoring her in a "60 Minutes" interview, that legacy needs to be sustained.
- Women in combat: Why that's so yesterdayThe military's decision to allow women in almost every combat role isn't surprising at a deeper level. Humans have been more rapidly overcoming barriers to physical limitations. Now we just expect it.
- Election takes Israel's finger off trigger for war with IranThe surprising results of Israel's election sent a message to Netanyahu not to be so trigger-happy in his threats toward Iran's nuclear program. The rise of centrist parties also sends a moderating message to the Middle East.
- Obama's chance to lift suspicions of ChinaIn his inaugural, Obama's brief mention of foreign affairs called for lifting fears and suspicions through 'engagement.' The idea needs immediate US application in the troubling Japan-China islands clash.
- Obama inaugural address: a call to act on unfulfilled idealsPresident Obama's inaugural address is a call for action to secure America's rights and freedoms. His plea relies on a people who must put love for each other into practice.
- Lance Armstrong doping confession: In any sport, drugs are drugsLance Armstrong's doping confession in an interview with Oprah Winfrey should draw outrage, but so should any drug use 鈥 including marijuana 鈥 by sports stars.
- What Obama's gun proposals left outPresident Obama's actions and proposals on gun violence are worthy, especially his directive on research into media violence. But he failed to link gun violence to children of broken or single-parent homes.
- After French intervention in Mali against Islamist rebels, now what?The French military intervention in Mali against Islamist rebels does not need to be another Afghanistan. Containing rather than defeating Mali's violent jihadists should be the goal.