It's been a bad few months for those determined to believe humanity is marching inexorably towards a more peaceful future.

In Iraq, militant extremists so brutal they were disavowed by al Qaeda have captured numerous major cities, leaving behind a trail of mutilated corpses. In Syria, civil war deaths now exceed 150,000, and military momentum has swung back towards the ruthless Assad regime as rival groups of extremist insurgents marginalize moderate rebel forces. In Afghanistan, Taliban forces are resurgent; in Ukraine, a low-level civil war continues. Even the Promised Land has exploded again. So much for the Better Angels.

Hillary, I owe you an apology.

No, not a Washington Apology of the "Regrettably, mistakes have been made" variety. A real apology.

Back in 2008, I was sure -- absolutely, completely, utterly sure -- that Barack Obama would make a better president than you would. With the benefit of hindsight, I now think I was wrong. 

The service's plan to revamp itself for the post-post-9/11 world is ambiguous and rife with contradiction. That's what makes it brilliant.

By Rosa Brooks

If you happen to be a world leader, and you happen to attend one of those world leader powwows to which the rest of us usually aren't invited (the opening festivities of the U.N. General Assembly session, for instance), and you happen to look around at your fellow world leaders, you might also happen to notice that most of your fellow world leaders are fellows.

"For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us."

- John Winthrop, A Model of Christian Charity, 1630