VANCOUVER, British Columbia — After devoting the single greatest part of my time to security most days at the 2010 Winter Olympics, I had to ask myself: Was it worth it? Would I willingly repeat the experience at future events of this kind?
Unequivocally, yes.

The Iranian government’s vicious crackdown on protests during recent celebrations of the country’s revolution — which stymied organizers’ plans — has tempted some analysts to conclude that the opposition is faltering. My sentiments reflect another view that could not disagree more, that of Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi. She maintains that the opposition secured a […]

As the Obama administration enters its second year, evaluations range from the extremely positive to the exceedingly negative. Looking for a balanced, informed perspective from a veteran presidential-studies specialist, I turned to Georgetown University’s Stephen J. Wayne, the author of “The Road to the White House 2008″ and a forthcoming book on President Barack Obama.

Nature has a way of delivering some of its most devastating blows to those who already suffer disproportionately, as happened during Haiti’s tragic earthquake. It will take weeks, maybe months, to account for those who are lost and evaluate the full extent of the damage.
Fortunately, through the efforts of many, the most needed items — […]

WASHINGTON — Since 9-11, Americans have been rightly concerned about how the numbers stack up in the struggle against terrorism. Whether one calls it a war or something else, a sense of direction is not just necessary but vital.
Along those lines, a new report — “Are We Winning?” — by the bipartisan American Security Project, […]

The uninvited-guest problem at President Barack Obama’s recent White House state dinner strikes me as more than a mere security lapse. If we were living in a perfect world and no existential threat to the United States presented itself, a publicity-seeking party-crasher at such an event might be dismissed as a minor concern, even an […]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — In the debate over terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and the threat they present to America’s communities, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Randall Larsen says we may stand in the way of our own safety. This happens, according to him, because we typically pose the wrong questions.
Instead of asking how to […]

When asked about her aspirations for “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” Sheryl WuDunn demurely mentions that the work speaks for itself and she hopes it will inspire people to action. Upon catching wind of a naysayer’s opinion that efforts to free women from subjugation may cause more harm than good, […]

WASHINGTON — Some people eagerly respond to impassioned statements about climate change, such as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s warning we cannot compromise with Earth. Others appreciate stunts, for example, a recent Maldive Islands cabinet meeting that convened under water to signal worries about climate change. To me, though, nothing resonates more than the evidence, […]

Of all the voiceless people on Earth, I can think of few more unfortunate than the multitudes — mostly women and children — who toil as modern-day slaves. They typically suffer cruelty, deprivation of their rights and unspeakable living conditions. And they face only two certainties, both unpleasant: that they will wake up tomorrow to […]