All The Monitor's View
What the world brings to Syrian peace talksDoubts remain high about next week’s negotiations to end Syria’s civil war. Yet the UN and others are bringing decades of wisdom in peacemaking. Recent history shows that wars end more often by talking than by military victory.
For Syrian refugees, a legal – and safe – route to EuropeTo stem illegal migration by Syrians, the European Union plans to return them to Turkey while accepting the same number legally from refugee camps. Honoring both borders and legal migration may serve as an antidote to the Syrian war.
The challenge of ‘Big Marijuana’Big money is starting to push marijuana legalization in the US, raising alarms that corporate profiteers may promote pot use among teens. A few states are wising up to the large commercial interests peddling a drug with high costs in public safety.
Yes, ICANNThe integrity of the Internet will soon be maintained by a nongovernmental body (ICANN) set up to represent the web’s many stakeholders. The model of governance reflects the values of the web itself: equality and a mutual regard among users.
The key hope in sanctionsWith Obama going to Cuba, a tighter economic embargo on North Korea, and a partial lifting of sanctions on an improved Iran, now is the time to examine why sanctions often succeed. They rely on a hopeful view of people.
From Timbuktu, a timeless lessonIn a first, a jihadist is charged with a war crime for destroying ancient cultural sites. The case before the International Criminal Court reflects a legal pushback against such destruction and a moral reinforcement to preserve humanity’s most timeless heritage.
Syria’s calm before the peaceA temporary truce, brokered by Russia and the US, has brought the first lull in violence in Syria’s five-year conflict. As it brings some stability and hope, it is also a test of sincerity for coming peace talks.
Peace message in Iran’s electionDespite a rigged list of candidates, voters in Iran’s Feb. 26 election found a way to elect relative moderates who seek a less threatening country more open to the world. The vote was a humiliating blow to Iran’s clerical rule.
Advice for a world in search of innovationThe US presidential campaign is raising voter fears about the future more than focusing on what Warren Buffett calls America’s ‘secret sauce” – its long history of sustained gains in economic productivity.
Psst! ‘Plastics’ needs to be reformedOne of the world’s most successful and versatile materials is also a potential environmental disaster.
Turning politics outside inMoney still corrupts politics but maybe not in the way we think.
Exit the EU? What Britain should be asking.A June referendum on whether Britain should stay in the European Union has focused mainly on the economic impact. A great power with immense ‘soft power’ needs to also look at its global contributions.
Endgame for an opiate epidemicWhen US governors met in Washington, their focus was on novel ways to deal with a rise in nonmedical use of prescription opiates. Vermont’s governor had some answers.
Apple court case takes a bite on libertyA court’s order for Apple to assist the FBI in hacking a terrorist’s iPhone is about more than security or privacy. It also raises questions about coercing individuals or companies to act on behalf of government.
For the Mideast, an anniversary to rememberThe 25th anniversary of the Gulf War liberated Kuwait from Iraqi rule – and it helped leave Kuwait as a relatively good counterpoint to the region’s extremism.
A morality tale in Argentina’s debt epiphanyA newly elected president is near a deal to end Argentina’s long debt woes. The country’s 15-year saga provides a lesson for a world awash in red ink.
Oil’s fall may be democracy’s riseThe biggest oil producers, which are trying to prop up global prices, are also among the last countries to make reforms that will lift them from a ‘resource curse.’
Reclaim civility for the 2016 electionsAs presidential candidates slip toward slurs and shouting, other leaders as well as citizens must preserve the power of civility in public discourse.
Unsung heroes who rescue Syria’s refugeesAs peace talks falter and the war in Syria escalates, one good constant has been the compassionate welcome and rescue of refugees by common residents in neighboring states. Good examples can be found on Greek islands.
Making the world safe for anti-corruption whistle-blowersA Ukrainian official’s resignation over corruption prompts an unusually strong response from world bodies. The global campaign against official wrongdoing has made it easier for many people to stand up for honest governance.
