All Opinion

It's not possible to stop a Bradley Manning or Edward Snowden. They reflect society's push for individualism, suspicion of authority, and digital transparency. Instead, the NSA, FBI, and others must embrace openness, and face greater oversight.

Minorities in Syria support the Assad regime because they fear the alternative. To erode Bashar al-Assad's base of support, Western leaders should offer meaningful security reassurances to Syria's minorities, including the promise of an international peacekeeping force.

The mounting cost of entitlements will only grow larger as baby boomers age. Four senators have proposed bipartisan legislation to fix one part of the mess, but more is needed. Congress should look to an unlikely model – Sweden's bipartisan pension reform of the 90s.

A proposal to impose a federal tax on revenues from municipal bonds would be a destructive and unconstitutional way for profligate Washington to raise funds. The tax would deter investors and squeeze cash-strapped states and cities like Detroit. Americans would pay the price.

In the hours of continuous broadcast coverage I monitored during and after the trial of George Zimmerman for the death of Trayvon Martin, I couldn’t believe the lack of balance in coverage. Walter Cronkite warned that without a strong unbiased press, democracy would struggle.

John Kerry or the Arab League may prod a peace deal into place, but nothing can last unless ordinary people living under the policy see that every Israeli is not a settler and every Palestinian does not begrudge Israel a right to exist. I've seen the groundwork of that dialogue at work.

Military sexual trauma is too often exacerbated by poor care in the aftermath. While the Defense Department struggles to improve prevention and prosecution, the VA is has made strides to ensure veterans receive respect and treatment. But more work needs to be done.

A lack of land rights for the poor fuels global hunger. With no ownership, land is poorly cultivated, and families subsist as day laborers or indentured servants. Giving land to the poor, especially women, allows them to grow food for their families and sell crops to pay for education.

For 30 years, the US and Iran have squandered engagement opportunities. President Obama – especially as US officials meet with allies in Brussels today to discuss next steps in nuclear negotiations with Tehran – should avoid a redux with Iran’s President-elect Hassan Rouhani.

America used to be the leader in clean energy, but it has been surpassed by China and others. The US can't afford to lose the jobs and economic benefits of green energy. Like its competitors, America needs standards that mandate percentages of green energy by key deadlines.

President Obama doesn’t have his own ranch or summer compound as a vacation retreat, so he stays in rental properties, which seem high-end. Obama has also spent much less time on vacation than his predecessor. In truth, presidents don't get a real break from their job – or from politics.

Some in Congress want to call the military takeover in Egypt a coup and cut off the $1.5 billion aid the US gives the country annually. This position fails to appreciate the limits of the leverage Washington derives from its aid to Cairo and the potential consequences of halting it. 

The uprising of millions of Egyptians since June 30 has led to sharp polarization. Growing up in Egypt, I never saw the country as divided as it is today. Efforts to rebuild the nation must focus on justice, reconciliation, and inclusiveness.

One sticking point in the House GOP discussion of immigration reform is concern over whether immigrants will be productive members of society. Republicans shouldn't worry. Immigrants outperform native-born citizens on key measures of American values and civic engagement.

In Egypt and Syria, a shrine and mosque named for two of history's most prominent Muslim women are at the center of the conflicts there. These nations must be inclusive of Muslim women of today to help bring the healing peace taught by the Muslim women of the past.

Some American analysts welcomed the ouster of Egypt's democratically elected president because it removed a political Islamist and opened the way for secularists. This Western thinking endangers democracy in Egypt. Integrating Islamists into politics is essential in the Arab world.

Trade is not a cure-all for grinding poverty, but a free-trade deal between Pakistan and India would help foster economic growth and regional peace. And the political timing has never been better. Pakistan's new prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, should seize the moment.

After the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill, House Speaker John Boehner is now at bat. Whether to swing is an incredibly tough call for him. Politically, the issue pits the long-term interests of the Republican Party against the short-term interests of its House members.

In Egypt, former President Mohamed Morsi should have served until the next elections. Forced removal defeats the democratic gains made two years ago. If Morsi and Islamists are not allowed to feature somewhat prominently in a new government, they could be a dangerous element.

Several states have passed 'ag-gag' laws that make it illegal to gather undercover documentation and videos of cruelty to animals at factory farms and in other areas of industrial agriculture. But it is precisely this kind of reporting that exposes and can help stop abuse of animals.