All Editorials
The Monitor's ViewMakings of a real Thanksgiving? Hospitality to strangers.Opening one's home at Thanksgiving to those less fortunate evokes the spirit of that first feast of gratitude between Pilgrims and Indians 鈥� a shared table of different peoples.
OpinionHow to make a Hamas, Israel ceasefire in Gaza stickContrary to Hamas reports, Israel claims there is no ceasefire deal for the Gaza conflict. But US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is en route to Jerusalem, and an agreement appears to be in the making. Making it stick will require regional commitment.
OpinionA 35 percent tax rate is a number, not a principleRepublicans believe that the upper-income tax rate should not be raised. It's a line in the sand based on principle. True, low taxes is a principle. But the actual rate is relative, and must be flexible to avoid the 'fiscal cliff.'
The Monitor's ViewA path to peace in Israel-Gaza conflictThe new Arab democracies such as Egypt present a different dynamic to help resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, such as the current violence over Gaza. New models for peaceful mediation are needed.- Readers RespondReaders Write: Affirmative action is still needed in the USLetters to the Editor for the November 19, 2012 weekly print issue: Affirmative action helps eliminate the ignorance of racial bigotry and animosity. It is needed as much today as it was in 1968.聽The notion that the races are fighting over a scarce number of places is a shallow argument.
OpinionIsrael should rethink its strategy against Hamas in GazaIsrael has dealt with Hamas through a policy of isolation and military containment. The recent escalation of violence in Gaza calls for a reconsideration of this strategy. Israel鈥檚 military response only offers a temporary palliative against a broader, inherently political problem.
Obama and Myanmar (Burma): 4 points about conflict there A long-simmering ethnic conflict in Myanmar (Burma) recently broke into American newspapers: At least 89 people have been killed and more than 35,000 displaced in what is being described (not entirely accurately) as Buddhist-Muslim violence. With President Obama as the first US head of state to visit this country, there are four points to bear in mind about this detour from Myanmar鈥檚 road to a more open society:
Philanthropy unboundPhilanthropy is a word often associated with top hats and tote bags. But its original and essential meaning -- going back to the ancient Greeks -- is even more generous: It is about helping humanity make progress.
The Monitor's ViewPentagon can recover from Petraeus and Allen scandalsThe Petraeus affair and the 'inappropriate' e-mails of Gen. John Allen push defense chief Leon Panetta to demand changes in the military's ethical culture. But conduct by the book also needs conduct by a conscience that knows right from wrong.
6 ways to avoid the 'fiscal cliff' Republican congressional leaders and President Obama sharply disagree over how to deal with the impending 鈥渇iscal cliff.鈥� But a successful plan shouldn鈥檛 be that hard to put in place. Here are six ways Washington can avoid the 鈥渇iscal cliff.鈥�
OpinionObama is right to visit Myanmar (Burma)The apparent end of censorship has unleashed a veritable media gold rush in Myanmar (Burma).聽On his visit there, President Obama should encourage the country's wave of democratic reforms by highlighting the urgent need for free and open media to reach all parts of the country.
The Monitor's ViewChina's new leaders can't rule by pedigreeXi Jinping, the new leader of the Communist Party, takes power along with others as descendants of Mao's revolutionary elite. But China needs rulers open to change, not those who cling to hereditary privilege.
OpinionIn shifting sands of Middle East, who will lead?Leadership in the Middle East is up for grabs as the Syrian war intensifies, the Arab Spring changes regional power dynamics, and Israel's airstrikes and Hamas rockets again roil Gaza. Last year, Turkey was the assumed role model for the region. But it has fallen down on the job.
OpinionLetter to China's new leader, Xi JinpingDear Xi Jinping: Congratulations on your elevation to the top post in China. Many expect you to be the most powerful head of state in the world. But you face global citizens who are saying, 'enough is enough' when it comes to trade, human rights, and nationalism. Be forewarned.
OpinionObama, Congress should push NATO missile defense program off 'fiscal cliff'As the automatic defense spending cuts loom, President Obama and Congress should cancel the flawed, expensive NATO missile-defense program.聽Ending the program would encourage greater international cooperation on security issues and free up Navy ships to address actual threats.
The Monitor's ViewA model leader for Syria?A moderate Muslim preacher who suffered as a freedom fighter in Syria has been chosen as opposition leader to Assad. Now, Moaz al-Khatib must unite a people torn by civil war and religion.
OpinionDifferent China, same risky political systemAt China's Communist Party congress, outgoing President Hu Jintao made a frank appraisal of challenges faced by the party. But he ruled out any evolution toward a more open and accountable political system. China has yet to learn from South Korea and Taiwan.
OpinionObama's post-election Syria policy is unlikely to change, but it shouldObama鈥檚 policy of 'staying the course' in Syria should be weighed against worsening strategic realities in the country and region. Only a careful military program to help the rebels, including arming and training them, can stem the growing costs of US inaction.
The Monitor's View'Petraeus scandal' as a mirror on marriageAs the 'Petraeus scandal' widens with probes and politics, it should also throw a spotlight on the state of marriage.
Global ViewpointGeorge Soros: To survive, Europe must recapture spirit of solidarityEurope has become divided into two classes 鈥� depressed debtors like Greece and controlling creditors like Germany. To reverse this, Europe must recapture its spirit of solidarity. A good place to start is where suffering is greatest, in Greece, among thousands of mistreated migrants.