Amir Handjani

Attorney working in the UAE

In the same way Richard Nixon may have been the only American statesman of his era to have the credibility with the left and the right to negotiate with Communist China, Rowhani maybe just the right Iranian politician at this time in history.

Melinda Gates

Co-chair, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

When Germany and other wealthy nations came together to create the Global Fund a decade ago, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria were leading causes of death in developing countries. But world leaders recognized that they could make dramatic gains against these three diseases.

Robert Greenwald

Filmmaker, Brave New Foundation

As I listened to the stories of the survivors and victims, it became strikingly apparent that the CIA simply had no idea whom they were targeting. These strikes may be technically accurate, but the intelligence on which they are based is damningly flawed.

Murray Fromson

Fromsonfile.com

Let's cleanse Washington of all those interventionists who can't wait until we get our hands bitten in Syria in another futile pursuit of nation-building. Enough voices are being heard these days, thank goodness, that are questioning Obama's decision to provide "soft" support for the Syrian rebels.

Will Bunch

Author, 'Tear Down This Myth'

In both Turkey and Brazil, it has been the reckless brutality of the security forces -- captured on smartphones and broadcast to a whole world that's watching -- that has caused the protests to grow. Will the United States go down the same road?

Nathalie Cely

Ambassador of Ecuador to the United States

The rose industry in Ecuador provides good paying jobs for thousands of poor rural women-many of whom are heads of households. Those jobs are draining the drug trade of recruits, which in turn helps keeps drugs off the streets of the U.S.

Joseph Blady, M.D.

Former program officer for the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and senior analyst for the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence

As with Vietnam, negotiations might buy a little time for the government we leave behind, but we have the small consolation that we're separating from the worst partnership we've ever had. And like North Vietnam, the Taliban are unlikely to pose a threat to our security once we've left.

Nukhet A. Sandal

Postdoctoral Scholar, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University

The protests represent the tipping point of the frustrations of the informed public with a government that has treated forests and historical buildings as private property, constructing luxury residences and shopping centers through contracts given to family and friends.

Borge Brende

Managing Director, World Economic Forum

The era of pessimism is over in Africa. In eight of the last 10 years, the African "lion" economies have grown faster than even the Asian "tigers." But if this growth is not invested in human capital and diversifying economies, there is a risk that Africa will once again be known as the lost continent.

Susan D. Blum

Professor and chair, Department of Anthropology, Notre Dame

After his James Bond-like escape from house arrest with a broken foot in the dark last spring, blind Chinese lawyer Chen Guangcheng slipped to the U.S. embassy in Beijing -- and special arrangements took him to asylum at NYU Law School. And now Chen is being asked to leave NYU.

Natalia Brzezinski

writer, mother, wife of U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, women's empowerment activist

Our hour-long conversation ranged from how to effectively empower women to reach for the C-suite to education to positive role models and examples of best practices that the United States and Sweden can share.

Pierre Guerlain

American civilization professor at Nanterre University

When a Chinese dissident breaks an illegitimate Chinese law the West applauds. When an American whistleblower reveals hidden crimes the accomplices of these crimes cry foul. Transparency in political matters is claimed only when the other has something to hide.

Robert E. Prasch

Author, How Markets Work: Supply, Demand and 'The Real World'; Professor of economics, Middlebury College

Nothing the Greek people have done merits the ongoing and systemic destruction of their lives and livelihood. The Troika's program is not helping the economy and is dangerous politically.

MJ Rosenberg

Special Correspondent, Washington Spectator

Obama's proposal to take sides in the Syrian war is wrong. It is arrogant. It ignores our destructive history in the Middle East and the perception by all parties in the region that everything we do there is motivated by our blatant bias toward Israel.

Mark R. Kennedy

Professor of political management and director of the Graduate School of Political Management, George Washington University

One can debate whether America should insert itself militarily into the Syrian conflict. It is far less debatable that by selling weapons to al-Assad, Russia has precipitated Obama's recent decision to arm the Syria rebels, initiating an American role in this military conflict.

Richard Javad Heydarian

Academic/Policy Advisor/Foreign Affairs and Economic Analyst

This year's elections underscore the dynamic yearning of Iran's masses for liberal reform, economic recovery, and constructive relations with the outside world.

Jeff Danziger

Political cartoonist syndicated by the NYTimes worldwide