War and Peace
Ambivalent After All These Years
In his Fordham lecture Bernardin mentions abortion ten times. The word “fetus” appears twice, but the words “woman” and “women” do not appear at all.
Consistent, Comprehensive, Christ-inspired
Thirty years later one wonders how many recall the debates the lecture engendered. It bears re-reading; the challenges it poses may be even more pressing now.
The Original Culture Warrior?
Bernardin grasped the idea that the Church’s most important contribution to public life is in shaping a cultural consensus on attitude.
An Ethic of ‘Life,’ Not ‘Purity’
To say that Bernardin's consistent ethic of life did not catch on with the American hierarchy would be an understatement.
The Threat of Peace
The opportunity to roll back Iran’s nuclear program should not be forfeited because of the belligerent posturing of Netanyahu and hawks on Capitol Hill.
We Will Not Bleed
As Andrew Bacevich sees it, Americans have mutated into passive spectators, not active citizens, across a wide spectrum of once-sacred civic responsibilities.
Peace Activism: What Is It Good For?
Andrew J. Bacevich and R. Scott Appleby discuss the present-day peace movement and whether it exerts any influence on current U.S. policy.
Forsaken Ally
The end of the Communist era and access to long-closed archives opens a window into the largely untold suffering of Poland from 1939 to the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Known Unknowns
If we had reason to be confident that bombing some of Assad’s assets would save more Syrians than it would kill, armed intervention might be warranted. We don't.
Limited & Proportionate
President Obama is right to show restraint on Syria. But that doesn’t mean the United States should stand and watch great crimes being committed.
Will Our Polarization Cripple Us?
It was only a matter of time before our polarized politics threatened to destroy a president’s authority. Will Congress let that happen?
Don't Attack Syria
A defensible case for the attack on Syria would have to satisfy traditional “just war” standards. The proposed action meets none of them.
