Peace and Security
Terrorism in the Eye of the Beholder
Muslims Don’t Have a Monopoly on Terrorism
Too many Americans think the term “terrorism” only applies to Muslims. Christians, Jews, atheists, agnostics, Unitarians or Quakers who commit unspeakable acts of horror often aren’t deemed to be real terrorists.
We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby, Since 1776
National Public Radio presented a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July. It properly honored the brilliance, perseverance, and clarity of the document’s authors and the people they represented in challenging the British Empire. Yes, the colonists admitted wanting to exterminate the “savages” whose land they coveted, which was dead wrong. But their powerful phrasing could easily resonate today in Sudan, Afghanistan, Palestine, or East Timor.
The Defense Industry Threatens America’s Economy
India has the military-industrial complex all figured out. So does Saudi Arabia. Neither of them has one. Who needs to build weapons when you can simply buy them at a discount elsewhere? Not that anyone really needs so many weapons anyway, but it’s still a lot cheaper to tap the competitive arms market for a few specific items than to build a massive infrastructure to keep churning out whole arsenals for yourself.
Heading for Havana
For most Americans, visiting Cuba is inconceivable.Not so for travelers from the rest of the world. The Caribbean country’s stunning beaches, colonial architecture, vintage cars, and vibrant musical culture attract more than 2 million tourists a year from Europe, Latin America, and elsewhere.
Making the U.S.-Pakistan Relationship Less Toxic
Since the covert U.S. operation that killed Osama bin Laden near a Pakistani military installation, the U.S.-Pakistani relationship has rapidly deteriorated. Officials from both countries face increasing political pressure to stand firm in opposition to one another. However, this diplomatic confrontation won’t produce any winners. Undermining U.S.-Pakistani bilateral relations could have drastic implications for the security of the entire South Asian region.
Justice Department Gives Torturers a Pass
The Romans had an expression for it: “Nulla poena sine lege,” no punishment without a law. But people sometimes forget that the opposite is also true: Without punishment for offenders, a law itself can die.
Haiti, the Caribbean Sweatshop
It’s baseball season in America, and for every ball that’s scuffed in the dirt or fouled in the stands, another is quietly stitched in an abysmal Haitian sweatshop. Pay and working conditions in Haiti are the worst in the Western Hemisphere, and that’s saying something.
Washington’s Physics Problem in Iraq
The Joint Chiefs of Staff, says its chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, has a “physics problem.”
Bring Our Troops Home
At long last, America’s overdue withdrawal from Afghanistan has begun. “The tide of war is receding,” President Barack Obama declared as he announced that 10,000 troops would come home this year and 23,000 more next year.
