In the wake of a move to increase instructional time for Chicago public school students, Peter Orszag highlights education research showing a link between more time in the classroom and improved academic performance.

Jeffrey H. Smith and John B. Bellinger III say that because a nuclear-armed Iran is a real threat to the United States, the president does have reason to argue for his constitutional authority to use force against Iran, but legislative approval would give him stronger legal and political ground to do so.

Micah Zenko says leave the "better off" question aside and look at safety, "The reality is that, across a range of criteria, Americans are indeed safer and more secure than four years ago."

In this column, Julia E. Sweig assesses Colombian president Juan Santos's progress as he begins negotiations with the FARC and the potential political implications the negotiations have for the future.

Michael Scott Doran and Max Boot lay out five reasons for why the United States should intervene in Syria, arguing that President Obama is forgoing his "lead from behind" approach where it would benefit the United States the most.

Blake Clayton argues for greater transparency about the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve's capabilities to release oil to the market, particularly in light of profound recent changes in the North American oil landscape.

Peter Orszag argues that Representative Paul Ryan's budget plan would risk stranding elderly patients who wish to remain enrolled in Medicare.

Ed Husain argues that while Muslims are rightly offended by the anti-Islam film, no government or population should respond by trying to stifle freedom of speech.

Ray Takeyh argues, "The United States will make genuine progress with Iran only when moderate leaders assume greater control of the state. An interim accord may provide time, but that time must be used to broaden the contours of Iran's political system."

Benn Steil's Wall Street Journal op-ed, co-authored with Dinah Walker, shows that the Fed has effectively been targeting "risk on, risk off"—prodding investors into and out of risky financial assets—for over a decade now. He derives a rule that predicts the Fed's behavior since 2000 even better than the "Taylor Rule" did from 1987 to 1999.

Ed Husain argues that despite fervent protests in the Middle East, the U.S. should not forget that it still wields significant influence among Arab populations.

Obama acquitted himself well under terrible circumstances, but he must get to the bottom of the last week's five unresolved puzzles, from Libyan warnings to complicit guards, writes Leslie H. Gelb.

Watch out, Wall Street: former Fed chair Paul Volcker takes aim at greedy bankers, a weak financial system, and a flawed Ryan plan in an exclusive interview for Newsweek with Leslie H. Gelb.

Michael Spence examines the causes of recent distress in both advanced and developing economies and evaluates potential policy responses.

Ed Husain considers how recent protests in the Middle East reflect the challenges facing Arab societies in the aftermath of decades of authoritarian leadership.

Steven A. Cook says the news may look grim, but the United States is poised to remain the dominant power in the Middle East.

Blake Clayton argues that energy officials should look to the 2011 International Energy Agency-coordinated Strategic Petroleum Reserve release for insight into when it makes sense to draw on national oil stockpiles.

Sheila A. Smith discusses how Japan's move to replace its ambassadors to the United States, China, and South Korea with three career officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has to do as much with domestic politics as it does with tensions in the region.

Ed Husain calls on Muslim communities to respond constructively to the controversial film about the Prophet Mohammed that has led to protests in Egypt, Libya, and Yemen.

Isobel Coleman says the actions of Egypt's president Mohammed Morsi may help shape the outcome of the crisis in the region.