International Political Will

Japanese society is, as so many have put it, a contradiction. Its conformity seems at times to clash with its penchant for outlandish individuality.  Its social welfare system that has virtually eliminated poverty doesn’t jive with the (uber)-polite homeless people in some big cities. The top-notch education system doesn’t explain the country’s protective isolationism, nor [...]

I stood outside of the stone-walled compound in rural northern Afghanistan passing time with a couple of UN drivers.
A young boy on a donkey ambled up and joined us, curious about the foreigner. Smiling, he began asking me questions, which were then translated by one of the drivers. Where are you from? What is your [...]