Politics and irrational fears rooted in anti-government sentiment dictate the response to polio vaccination programs in several countries dominated by Islamic insurgencies.
The Conversation
A Third Palestinian Intifada Is Inevitable. Intransigence and Extremism Make It So.
Israel’s occupation policy has undermined the state’s political and ethical foundations, while turning Prime Minister Netanyahu into a hostage of forces even more extreme than he is.
Pope Francis’s Challenge to America
Pope Francis is challenging conservative Americans–and presidential candidates–to rethink their belligerence to Cuba, Palestinians and action on global warming, writes Chris Patten.
World Warms to Climate Change Treaty, But Europe, Not U.S. Is Setting the Standard
December’s UN conference on climate change in Paris may lead to a treaty as a consensus has emerged that it’s also about economic challenges like poverty, sustainable development, and the wellbeing of future generations.
Boots on the Ground to Fight ISIS? Sure, But Arab and Turkish Boots, Not American
Republican candidates for president are right about calling for military force against ISIS, wrong about the kind of force that should fight: only Sunni fighters from Arab lands and Turkey can effectively defeat ISIS, argues Joseph Nye.
Bill Gates: The Rich World’s Responsibility to Those Who’ll Suffer Most From Global Warming
Climate change can’t be stopped tomorrow, but its devastating effects on millions of the poorest farmers can be reduced if richer countries invest in cleaner technologies now, and help farmers better adapt, Bill Gates writes.
Why You’re Getting Poorer: iPhones Aren’t The Economic Engine Cars and Electricity Were
Robert Gordon argues rising standards of living brought by cars, indoor plumbing and electricity can;t be replaced by iPhones and the internet. Martin Feldstein disagrees.
Capitalism Doesn’t Cause Poverty. Its Absence Does.
The world’s poorest countries are not characterized by naive trust in capitalism, but by utter distrust, which leads to heavy government intervention and regulation of business. Under such conditions, capitalism does not thrive and economies remain poor.
The Population Bomb Reloads: How Humans Cause Mass Extinctions
The world’s expanding human population is in competition with the populations of most other animals. Our population bomb has already claimed its first casualties. They will not be the last, argue Paul and Anne Ehrlich.
Raise the Gas Tax Already
The federal gas tax has been stuck at 18.4 cents a gallon since 1993, lowest among advanced countries. Yet Congress just adopted a three-month stopgap measure, kicking the gas can down the road for the 35th time since 2009.
