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Curated by Project Syndicate

Munich Security Conference

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The annual Munich Security Conference is taking place at a moment of high drama, with war heating up in Ukraine, Islamic State militants outdoing their own previous brutality, and the eurozone shaken by the outcome of Greece's recent election. With global stability deteriorating and bold leadership in short supply, can a tragic ending be avoided?

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  1. Syria’s No-Solution Solution
    Syria Aleppo destruction boy Aleppo fighting/Karam Almasri/ZumaPress

    Syria’s No-Solution Solution

    Feb 6, 2015 Ana Palacio praises UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura's "Aleppo first" plan.

  2. Europe’s War in Ukraine
    Ukraine europe pro EU Ivan Bandura/Flickr

    Europe’s War in Ukraine

    Feb 5, 2015 Joschka Fischer & Henrik Enderlein argue that the European Union should offer balance-of-payments support to the embattled government.

  3. Europe’s Eurasian Opportunity
    Wind power Macedonia Tomislav Georgiev/World Bank/Flickr

    Europe’s Eurasian Opportunity

    Feb 5, 2015 Michael Schaefer & Inna Veleva advocate cooperation between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union.

  4. The Future of Force
    Military air force soldier sunset Sgt Pete Mobbs/Flickr

    The Future of Force

    Feb 5, 2015 Joseph S. Nye, Jr. says that the rules of war have been discarded, and countries must be ready for anything.

  5. Securing the Euro-Atlantic Community
    G8 Merkel Obama Cameron Putin www.gov.uk/Flickr

    Securing the Euro-Atlantic Community

    Feb 3, 2015 Des Browne, et al. propose a new way to resolve the Ukraine crisis and prevent future threats to regional stability.

  6. The Fog of Disorder
    Soldier fog mountains Emmanuel Ramos/US Marines/Flickr

    The Fog of Disorder

    Feb 3, 2015 Wolfgang Ischinger & Adrian Oroz ask why the gobal order's traditional and potential leaders are so reluctant to play their role.

  1. bp immigration Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

    The Immigration Tinderbox

    In the United States and Europe, immigration tends to divide people into opposing camps: those who claim that newcomers undermine economic opportunity and security for locals, and those who argue that welcoming migrants and refugees is a moral and economic imperative. How should one make sense of a debate that is often based on motivated reasoning, with emotion and underlying biases affecting the selection and interpretation of evidence?

  2. arezki19_MARCO LONGARIAFP via Getty Images_senegalelection Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images

    Senegal’s Election and Africa’s Future

    Rabah Arezki considers what Bassirou Diomaye Faye's presidency could mean for one of Africa's most closely watched democracies.
  3. disparte5_ Kevin DietschGetty Images_FSOC Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

    America Must Lead on Crypto Regulation

    Dante Alighieri Disparte

    To maintain its position as a global rule-maker and avoid becoming a rule-taker, the United States must use the coming year to promote clarity and confidence in the digital-asset market. The US faces three potential paths to maintaining its competitive edge in crypto: regulation, legislation, and designation.

    urges policymakers to take decisive action and set new rules for the industry in 2024.
  4. gul6_Hasan MradDeFodi Images via Getty Images_ghannouchi Hasan Mrad/De Fodi Images via Getty Images

    Rached Ghannouchi’s Plight Deserves More Attention

    Abdullah Gül decries the prosecution and imprisonment of Tunisia's widely respected avatar of Islamic democracy.
  5. okonjoiweala27_GIUSEPPE CACACEAFP via Getty Images_WTO13ministerialconference Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images

    WTO Reform Is Everyone’s Responsibility

    Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

    The World Trade Organization’s most recent ministerial conference concluded with a few positive outcomes demonstrating that meaningful change is possible, though there were some disappointments. A successful agenda of reforms will require more members – particularly emerging markets and developing economies – to take the lead.

    writes that meaningful change will come only when members other than the US help steer the organization.
  6. bloomberg7_Chris HondrosGetty Images_UScaloriesmenu Chris Hondros/Getty Images

    What Can Stop the Shortening of American Lives?

    Michael R. Bloomberg shows how a loss of public trust in public-health professionals is undercutting US life expectancy.
  7. roach163_ROBERTO SCHMIDTAFP via Getty Images_mikegallagher Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

    American Sinophobia

    Stephen S. Roach warns that fear has driven US policymakers to level a litany of unsubstantiated charges against China.
  8. kabubomariara2_Gerald AndersonAnadolu Agency via Getty Images_motherkenya Gerald Anderson/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    Africa’s Prosperity Depends on Achieving Gender Equality

    Jane Kabubo-Mariara outlines steps policymakers can take to redistribute unpaid domestic work among households and communities.
  9. lacroix2_ Michael GonzalezGetty Images_texasUSflags Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images

    Texas and the Perpetual Crisis of American Federalism

    Alison L. LaCroix highlights the constitutional threat posed by the state's attempt to impose its own immigration policy.

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