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David Cortright, The Daily Star | August 2, 2012 The annual $4 billion in aid pledged to secure Afghanistan's futures will not foment economic development until there is peace. ++ After 30 years of war, it is no wonder the country is so underdeveloped. ++ It has been challenging to negotiate a settlement because neither the US nor the Taliban are willing to give in to the others' demands. ++ A peace ...More

Martin Feldstein, Professor of Economics at Harvard | July 31, 2012 ECB President Mario Draghi walks a thin line between monetary policy and fiscal policy. ++ He wants to purchase more Spanish and Italian bonds, but it is dangerous because they bear high interest rates. ++ Instead, the ECB should conduct open-market operations by buying and selling a neutral basket of sovereign bonds, which would include French and German ...More

Martin Feldstein, Project Synidicate | July 31, 2012 ECB President Mario Draghi threads a thin line between monetary policy and fiscal policy. ++ He wants to purchase more Spanish and Italian bonds, but it is dangerous to make purchases that bear high interest rates. ++ Instead, the ECB should conduct open-market operations by buying and selling a neutral basket of sovereign bonds, which would include French ...More

Editorial, The Wall Street Journal | July 30, 2012 The Iranian government has been able to circumvent existing sanctions by replacing companies on the list with newly established front companies. ++ Financial channels in the form of forfeiting companies have also been used. ++ Consequently, the US approach to sanctions has become increasingly ineffective and will need tweaking. ++ Congress must blacklist ...More

Arvind Subramanian, Financial Times | July, 27, 2012 The resignation letter of a senior IMF official is proof that the IMF is faltering in its mission as crisis-stabilizer. ++ It has failed to mobilize its intellectual and financial resources to help solve the eurozone crisis. ++ Neither its lack of sovereignty nor its limitations as a private institution are sufficient excuses for its complacency with ...More

The European Union, NATO, and above all transatlantic relations are the specific areas of expertise of Dr. Stephen F. Szabo. He is the Executive Director of the Transatlantic Academy, founded by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the Bucerius Zeit Stiftung, the Bosch Stiftung, and the Bradley Foundation to promote research and dialogue between ...More

Annette Heuser & Tyson Barker, Der Spiegel | July 26, 2012 Mitt Romney, who has not yet articulated a trans-Atlantic policy, will soon visit Poland and the UK. ++ He may not be received well because he has neglected to mention anything about NATO or the EU. ++ His current European policy wrongfully follows a Cold War rhetoric and views Russia as a foe. ++ His only good platform has been a trans-Atlantic free trade ...More

Jawad Boulos, The Daily Star | July 25, 2012 Syria struggles to reach an acceptable settlement, even with the help of the UN. ++ There is no doubt that whatever course of action it does take, Lebanon will be affected. ++ Lebanon's President, Michael Sleiman, should therefore promote the Lebanese formula of governance for post-Assad Syria. ++ Lebanon proves that democracy can only be achieved by ...More

Doug Bandow, Forbes | July 24, 2012 The newly appointed president of the World Bank, Jin Yong Kim, should close the organization. ++ The Bank may have played a useful role in the past, but it has since abandoned its original mission as lender of last resort and instead has financed many doomed-to-fail projects and unjust regimes. ++ Aid cannot compensate for bad domestic economic policies in ...More

Ferdinando Giugliano, Financial Times | July 23, 2012 The tale spun by Monti is one in which Italy secured the right to use eurozone rescue funds without any additional conditions. ++ As the country approaches an investment crisis and it becomes more likely that Rome will have to tap into these funds, it should expect the creditor countries to demand more supervision. ++ There are costs to closer integration and ...More