海角大神

2018
June
15
Friday

Monitor Daily Podcast

June 15, 2018
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Clayton Collins
Director of Editorial Innovation

鈥淭here can be no keener revelation of a society鈥檚 soul than the way in which it treats its children.鈥

That was Nelson Mandela, announcing a new children鈥檚 fund in May 1995.

Heading into Father鈥檚 Day weekend 鈥 at the end of a news-jammed week that began with a new report on last month's聽 in a Texas jail 鈥 the US national conversation is largely centered on the treatment of the children of migrants.

The separation of parents and children who cross into the United States by choice and without documentation 鈥 for whatever reason 鈥 has been cast as both a , zero-tolerance stance against child 鈥渟muggling鈥 and as the morally repugnant use of .

It has triggered a White House press conference clash about parental empathy. It appears to be sowing聽, in Republican ranks. (On Monday, Harry Bruinius will look at how the policy sits with the president鈥檚 evangelical supporters.)聽

But even as politicians over the origin and ownership of the policy, what may slowly be dawning at the crossroads of process and compassion is a sense that the innocence of children transcends nationality, as does responsibility for its protection. A sense that children belong to society as it is most broadly defined.

How will their treatment ultimately reflect on humanity?

Check CSMonitor.com for news stories we鈥檙e following, including the inspector general鈥檚 report on the Justice Department鈥檚 conduct during the 2016 presidential campaign and the questions raised by the jailing today of Paul Manafort, President Trump鈥檚 former campaign chairman. Now to our five featured stories for today.


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Today’s stories

And why we wrote them

Kenny Karpov/SOS Mediterranee/AP
Migrants were transferred from the MS Aquarius to Italian Coast Guard boats June 12 in the Mediterranean Sea. Italy dispatched two ships to help take 629 migrants stuck off its shores on the days-long voyage to Spain, after Italy鈥檚 new populist government refused them entry.

News out of the European south has often seemed dour lately, because of economic and migration woes. But Spain and Portugal are offering a new vision for open, socialist government in Europe.

The latest legal battle over "Obamacare" pits the Trump administration against Republicans in Congress, highlighting a value that spans partisan divides: concern for people with 鈥減reexisting conditions.鈥

Fernando Vergara/AP
Supporters of Ivan Duque, presidential candidate for the Democratic Center party, wave a Colombian flag during a campaign rally in Soacha, outside Bogot谩, last month. Colombians will hold runoff presidential elections June 17.

Voters want to move Colombia ahead after decades of conflict. But that also means looking back at its peace deal and choosing between two visions for how to implement it before violence flares again.

Ann Hermes/Staff
William Lee (r.), who attended a fathers' support program in St. Louis, enjoys a moment with his sons Jreisen (c.) and Jalon (l.).

Dads don't always feel valued, especially if they are not living at home. Strengthening their understanding about how to relate to their families is one way to address that.

Helping struggling fathers in Saint Louis: William's story

Books

"We Begin Our Ascent" is a debut novel by Joe Mungo Reed.

Vacationing soon? Pack books. From a novel about cycling鈥檚 Tour de France to a journalist鈥檚 look at the dark side of the US economy, these new June releases cover plenty of ground. Among other titles there鈥檚 also an engaging memoir that shines a spotlight on a whole era of journalism, a counterintuitive tribute to what鈥檚 going right in America鈥檚 smaller cities, and a darkly atmospheric literary thriller.


The Monitor's View

AP Photo
Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani (pictured) and the Taliban have each announced a cease-fire related to the holy month of Ramadan.

After decades of conflict and costly foreign intervention, Afghanistan has a new chance for peace. Both the government and the Taliban have declared unilateral cease-fires to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The temporary halt in fighting is only for three days, June 15-18. Yet if it holds, it will be the most extensive halt to offensive operations since the United States invaded the country in 2001 in response to the 9/11 bombings by Al Qaeda.

Any path to peace remains difficult. But even a brief cease-fire may signal momentum toward a negotiated solution. Crucial to any prospects for peace will be a dialogue between the militant Islamic Taliban and the elected president, Ashraf Ghani, and his team about issues of governance and power sharing.

Fighting in Afghanistan has been intense over the past year, but the logic of a negotiated solution has gained support inside and outside the country. Evidence is growing that the Afghan people strongly desire an end to the fighting. A small group of 鈥減eace marchers,鈥 for example, is walking 300 miles from Kandahar to Kabul 鈥 while respecting the Ramadan practices of daytime fasting 鈥 in order to signal their 鈥渢hirst for peace,鈥 as one participant told the press. And shortly before the government鈥檚 cease-fire announcement, a group of Afghan clerics called for a cease-fire and talks.

If there is a real opening in these events, it will remain fragile and needs to be encouraged. Both sides put caveats on their cease-fires. The government did not include a cease-fire with the more radical Islamic State or Al Qaeda groups operating in the country. The Taliban said its cease-fire is only with the 鈥渄omestic opposition鈥 and not 鈥渇oreign occupiers鈥 (US and NATO forces). Most observers expect the Taliban鈥檚 鈥渇ighting season鈥 to continue after the three days.聽

Yet the fact that both parties made this gesture is significant as it signals they each realize the only way out is a political settlement. For its part, the Trump administration set a goal last year of a negotiated solution.聽To get there, it is working to strengthen the Afghan military and the government鈥檚 services to the people, as well as increase pressure on Pakistan to cut its support for the Taliban.聽聽

The US moves have given a boost to the Afghan government, notably to the reformers in its ranks. Indeed, younger Afghans educated since 2001, including women, are taking leading roles in Kabul.聽

While the government still rules over most of the population, the Taliban controls or threatens large swaths of the country. Human rights organizations underscore the rising toll of fighting on civilians. Other observers argue more positively that recent events have reinforced a perception that a military victory is not possible for either side, a view that has strengthened public sentiment to find a way to peace.

Both the Taliban and President Ghani may have sensed this shift. Indeed, one of the peace marchers told reporters that a group of Taliban fighters approached them at one point to offer their support for the march and for ending the fighting.

The next big threshold is to bring the parties together. The Taliban insists they will only negotiate with the US and only about withdrawing US forces. The Afghan government and its foreign allies say talks must be Afghans talking directly to Afghans and that a settlement must preserve important advances, such as rights embodied in the Constitution. A new generation of Afghans is now used to a more open and progressive environment. Some observers argue that elements of the Taliban also have moderated their views on a future Afghan society.

The mental blocks against peace in Afghanistan may be crumbling. If these latest signs of warming prove real, the next step may be talks through informal channels or perhaps using a third-party mediator. A war-weary Afghanistan deserves a way to a better future.


A 海角大神 Science Perspective

About this feature

Each weekday, the Monitor includes one clearly labeled religious article offering spiritual insight on contemporary issues, including the news. The publication 鈥 in its various forms 鈥 is produced for anyone who cares about the progress of the human endeavor around the world and seeks news reported with compassion, intelligence, and an essentially constructive lens. For many, that caring has religious roots. For many, it does not. The Monitor has always embraced both audiences. The Monitor is owned by a church 鈥 The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston 鈥 whose founder was concerned with both the state of the world and the quality of available news.

Today鈥檚 contributor shares how a more spiritual perspective of fatherhood has helped him become a better dad.


A message of love

Darren Whiteside/Reuters
Muslims walk through Sunda Kelapa port in Jakarta, Indonesia, to attend prayers in celebration of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
( The illustrations in today’s Monitor Daily are by Karen Norris. )

A look ahead

Have a good weekend. Come back Monday. We鈥檒l take you to a tiger reserve in India where former poachers now work as eco-tour guides 鈥 a win for the tigers, of course, but also for the people of the region.聽

More issues

2018
June
15
Friday

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