All Editorials
OpinionStand up to the biggest bully in the room: mental illnessTeen suicide and school shootings are blamed on bullying. Mental illness is the far more likely culprit. We need to expand mental-health services in schools and in society, not聽hamstring our educators with complicated and draconian 'bullying' laws.
The Monitor's ViewChurch bombing in Pakistan: Why it still ricochetsThe public reaction to a terrorist attack on 海角大神s in Pakistan reflects a similar pushback by moderate Muslims in Egypt and Tunisia. Civic values such as religious tolerance are at stake in this latest struggle for Islam.
Global ViewpointObama must seize diplomatic opening with Iran to help end Syria crisisDiplomacy is alive again at the United Nations this week. And it's deeply needed. President Obama should make clear to Iran鈥檚 President Hasan Rouhani that Iran would be welcome to participate in a conference to discuss an end to the civil war in Syria.- Global ViewpointObama must seize diplomatic opening with Iran to help end Syria crisisDiplomacy is alive again at the United Nations this week. And it's deeply needed. President Obama should make clear to Iran鈥檚 President Hasan Rouhani that Iran would be welcome to participate in a conference to discuss an end to the civil war in Syria.
OpinionHow President Rouhani and Ayatollah Khamenei could reform IranIranians and Westerners see hope in President Rouhani's UN visit today. But聽even with the backing of the supreme leader, reforming Iran's economy will be a difficult task for Rouhani, especially as he must challenge the power of the Revolutionary Guard and intelligence services.
OpinionWith Rouhani as president, time for US to try new approach on IranAmerica's usual tack on Iran's nuclear program hasn't worked. The US should test the intentions of Iran's new President Hasan Rouhani, who visits the UN today, by trying a new approach: capitalizing on聽areas where US and Iranian interests align, such as Afghanistan, or even Iraq.
The Monitor's ViewDrop in child labor points to progress for all childrenA stunning drop in child labor worldwide is one of several reports of progress that suggest a global shift in how children are viewed.
Video chat with 'Israel loves Iran' founder: Can Facebook meme end nuclear standoff?Ronny Edry's Facebook page, 'Israel loves Iran,' has become a social media sensation. In a Google+hangout interview, he explains how his page 'is changing minds.' Who knows? Maybe Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu will 'like' it.- Video chat with 'Israel loves Iran' founder: Can Facebook meme end nuclear standoff?Ronny Edry's Facebook page, 'Israel loves Iran,' has become a social media sensation. In a Google+hangout interview, he explains how his page 'is changing minds.' Who knows? Maybe Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu will 'like' it.
OpinionLiberia, a remarkable African success story, still needs helpOn the doorstep of extremist-led instability in West Africa, Liberia may be the most remarkable post-conflict success story of the modern era. But a paradox threatens to unravel the country's hard-won gains: Despite progress, central drivers of violence remain.- Readers RespondReaders Write: Precision needed on climate change numbers; Interpreting the QuranLetters to the Editor for the September 23, 2013 weekly print magazine:Only about 3 percent of the Antarctic temperature rise occurred during the time of humans burning fossil fuels. Climate change is a complex subject. The 'facts' about it must be stated precisely.Does interpreting the Quran according to the spirit of our time mean that truth has no universal quality, but instead a temporary one?
The Monitor's ViewIs nuclear power really the core of Iran's identity?Iran's new president, Hasan Rouhani, woos the US with a plea to acknowledge Iran's alleged core identity in its nuclear program. President Obama can point to Iran's conflicting identities as the country's source of weakness.
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Cyber war: Different look, same aimLike it or not, militaries around the world are building cyber weapons. Hyped or not, concerns about the security of vital computer systems are driving this push.
Is this the era of the 'quiet leader?'Bold and loud makes the history books. Quiet usually doesn't. But you know what quiet leaders have accomplished by looking at the people they lead.
OpinionAs UN meets, apply pressure against blasphemy lawsBlasphemy and other religious-defamation laws in Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and even Russia put people behind bars and on death row. As the UN General Assembly begins, these countries must be put under intense pressure to conform to global human rights standards.
The Monitor's ViewEnding the hypersexualization of girlsFrance's move to ban beauty pageants for underage girls won't stop a trend toward Miley Cyrus-style sexual exhibitionism. Girls need to learn values that reinforce their worth beyond beauty and sex.
OpinionTo prevent a 'Washington Navy Yard' mass shooting, require gun permitsThe NRA is right. Many mass shooters have mental problems聽such as those that apparently drove Aaron Alexis to start shooting at the Washington Navy Yard. But the US cannot lock up every person who struggles with such problems.聽It is more useful to license gun holders.
OpinionUS, Britain must rethink nuclear strategySome fear that the debate in Britain over whether to renew its nuclear submarine fleet could further strain the special US-UK relationship. Instead, it provides an opportunity for Americans and Britons to take a fresh, pragmatic look at nuclear strategy in the 21st century.聽
OpinionConventional 鈥� not chemical 鈥� weapons are the real problem in SyriaSen. John McCain has slammed Russia's President Putin. But all sides are guilty in perpetuating the conflict in Syria. Chemical weapons are repugnant, but the more urgent need is to tamp down on the flow of conventional weapons from all sides, which is fueling Syria's civil war.