Obama's Afghan Dilemma
Robert Dreyfuss : Obama calls Afghanistan "the right war." But sending more US troops into the quagmire will only make the crisis worse.
Alexander Cockburn on moral responsibility, Calvin Trillin on Bush, Stuart Klawans on Milk, Australia and Wendy and Lucy
Robert Dreyfuss : Obama calls Afghanistan "the right war." But sending more US troops into the quagmire will only make the crisis worse.
Anand Gopal : Who, exactly, are the Taliban? It's clear Afghan insurgents are far from monolithic.
Barbara Crossette : Which idea of human rights will prevail: Western notions of freedom from fear or poorer nations' insistence on freedom from want?
: There is no military solution to the crisis in South Asia. It falls to Barack Obama to create a new path out of the deepening Afghan-Pakistan crisis.
: Dissenting views on Iraq and Afghanistan will have to come not from the hawkish national security team, but from outside Washington, and from Obama himself.
: Wal-Mart's toxic workplace; higher ed takes a hit; the right-wing blame game.
Barbara Crossette : The deep grievances of marginalized Indian Muslims are a source of major societal rifts, exacerbated by the anti-Muslim propaganda of Hindu fundamentalists.
John Nichols : Xavier Becerra, Obama's pick for US trade representative, could bring the change working people here and abroad can believe in.
Arthur C. Danto : The paintings of Giorgio Morandi render new meaning to the term natura morta.
Stefan Collini : Re-reading a literary critic who regarded intelligence as a moral imperative.
Stuart Klawans : Gus Van Sant's Milk, Baz Luhrmann's Australia, Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy.
Calvin Trillin : White House duck vs. the coal-mine canary.
Alexander Cockburn : Why is it so hard for lawmakers, media and moguls to take moral responsibility?
Katha Pollitt : Obama should make gender equality a keystone of his presidency--and the economic stimulus is a great place to start.
Dave Zirin : His NFL career shot to pieces for a stupid stunt with a gun, Plaxico Burress now becomes the latest athlete everyone loves to hate.
Alexander Cuadros : Venezuela's middle class has seen life improve under Hugo Chávez. But opposition gains in regional elections signal corruption, and crumbling public services have taken their toll on his popularity.
VideoNation : Nation Editor Katrina vanden Heuvel discusses strategies for Obama to rebuild the public infrastructure and rethink the stimulus package so Wall Street isn't the only recipient.
Bruce Shapiro : Her voice a force of nature and her theatrical sense undimmed, Odetta-made music of extraordinary compassion, intuition and grace.
Cover design by Gene Case & Stephen Kling/Avenging Angels