All Security Voices

Some in Congress want to impose additional punitive sanctions on Iran. These are unnecessary and could scuttle the diplomatic process and strengthen Iranian hardliners. The proven strategy now is to offer partial relief from sanctions as an incentive to encourage Iranian concessions.

After revelations that the NSA has spied on its allies in Europe, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, it's worth considering: Is this just a tricky moment for President Obama, or is it a harbinger of a broader trend of waning US influence, even over its allies?

Stemming from fear that autonomous robots could embark on a campaign of indiscriminate killing, some have called for a global moratorium on 'lethal autonomous robotics.' In fact, there is a convincing base of evidence that robots are more likely to prevent slaughter than engage in it.

The abduction of Libya's Prime Minister Ali Zeidan yesterday shows that Libya is unlikely to emerge from anarchy without outside help. NATO should train government security forces. The UN or EU should sponsor a disarmament conference with the militias destabilizing the country.

Bashar al-Assad's recent track record shows it is likely the regime will not live up to agreements on Syria's chemical weapons with the UN, Russia, and the US unless there are repercussions for stonewalling. For Obama, that means keeping the threat of military force alive.

Iran's President Rouhani is sincere about a nuclear deal, because the costs of building a nuclear bomb are too high. But demonizing the US is still the linchpin of foreign policy for a certain faction in Tehran. For them, normalization of US relations would mean the regime's end.

The Middle East and North Africa – the world’s most water-scarce region – will soon face a severe water crisis. That could create an even greater challenge than today's upheavals. More attention must be paid to the problem. Conservation, communication, education, and technology can help.