April 2018

commentary

What Mariah Carey's Bipolar Revelation Could Mean for Public Health

Five-time Grammy winner Mariah Carey is being widely applauded for recently revealing she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2001. By openly talking about her mental health struggles, she is helping lift mental illness out of the shadows and bringing attention to how common mental illness can be.

Sarah MacCarthy

commentary

What Does Mission Accomplished in Syria Really Mean?

The use of chemicals cannot be allowed to become an acceptable form of warfare either in Syria or anywhere else. Mission accomplishment in Syria, just like in chemical weapon nonproliferation, will require far more than missile strikes alone.

Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein

commentary

Is America Ready for a Peace Deal in Afghanistan?

The Trump administration appears to be following its predecessor in imagining a political endgame in Afghanistan. It is focused on military efforts to try to turn the tide of the conflict, in hopes of negotiating from a stronger position. But if all sides continue to seek military advantage, negotiations will never commence.

Laurel E. Miller, Stephen Watts

commentary

Why Obesity Rates Continue to Climb—and What Can Be Done to Stop It

Too many Americans are being harmed by a food environment that lacks the necessary standards to make it easier for people to maintain a healthy weight. Policies aimed at portion control and cleaning up the food swamp could make a difference.

Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

E-enabled Elections: The Future of Overseas Voting in Europe?

Interest in technological solutions for elections is at an all-time high, but there are only a few mature online voting systems to learn from. Countries seeking to pilot e-enabled elections can learn from Estonia and others, but should also learn from those that never made it to full implementation.

Katherine Stewart

commentary

The Continuing Plague of Vehicle Attacks: What Can Be Done?

Attacks using vehicles like the one in Toronto this week are difficult to defend against, but that doesn't mean that law enforcement and local security forces can't make progress. There are four crucial elements to consider when thinking about mitigating the effects of ramming attacks.

Colin P. Clarke

essay

How the Child-Welfare System Could Protect More Kids and Save Billions of Dollars

It costs billions of dollars each year to investigate child abuse reports, counsel and support families, and provide foster homes for kids at risk. A greater focus on preventing abuse and neglect, and on placing children with relatives rather than strangers, could improve thousands of young lives.

commentary

The More Things Change: Explaining Continuity in Defense Strategy

United States presidential administrations from Clinton to Trump have championed different approaches to military and defense policy. The verbiage of the National Defense Strategy, however, remains relatively the same and the numbers reflect more incremental rather than monumental shifts.

Raphael S. Cohen

commentary

In Africa, Presidential Term Limits Are Working

World news regularly features headlines about African power grabs and constitutional coups. Presidents Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia both adhered to term limits, stepping aside after finishing their second terms. Are they part of a broader trend?

Alexander Noyes @alexhnoyes

commentary

Stabilization Is Essential to Accomplishing the Mission

There's good reason to hope that the forthcoming policy on stabilization in places like Iraq will get the United States to the right middle road. But this new effort will fall short if Congress doesn't maintain the necessary funding for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Linda Robinson

article

How Artificial Intelligence Could Increase the Risk of Nuclear War

Advances in artificial intelligence have provoked a new kind of arms race among nuclear powers. AI could challenge the basic rules of nuclear deterrence and lead to catastrophic miscalculations.

commentary

Staying Cool—as the Globe Warms

Studies suggest that the heat of the future will exceed humans' capacity to cope. But taking advantage of smart technology, inexpensive traditional methods of cooling that require little energy use, and innovative energy-efficient technologies could provide a sustainable path forward in heat-challenged regions.

Gulrez Shah Azhar

commentary

Europe's Great Challenge: Integrating Syrian Refugees

Since March, 2011, close to 1 million Syrian refugees have requested asylum in European countries, with Germany being the primary destination. Social and economic policies to deal with the refugee crisis will require collaborative planning, monitoring, and assessment efforts to be successful.

Ernesto F. L. Amaral, Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik, et al.

commentary

Defeating the ISIS Nostalgia Narrative

It is crucial that the United States and its coalition partners take into consideration and preempt the ISIS nostalgia narratives that may seek to define the group's legacy and prepare a foundation for its resurgence throughout the Middle East and beyond. The legacy ISIS should be remembered for is one of misery and despair.

Colin P. Clarke, Haroro J. Ingram

commentary

Arms Control Hostage to Skripal and Syria Attacks

Two prominent poisoning assassination attempts and Kremlin denials of gas attacks by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad raise doubts about Moscow's commitment to the purposes of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Never has the future of negotiated arms control involving Russia been at greater risk.

William Courtney @courtneywmh