In the context of the holiday season, Julia E. Sweig assesses President Obama's response to the Newtown shootings.

John B. Bellinger III says, "Over the last 230 years, the Senate has approved more than 1,500 treaties. In 2013, Mr. Obama must demonstrate leadership by putting greater effort in securing Senate approval of essential treaties that advance American interests, including the Law of the Sea Convention."

Peter Orszag explains why Build America Bonds could become victims of the fiscal cliff and why they should be saved.

Frank G. Klotz observes that the United States and Russia have been at loggerheads lately. Thus, a recent bit of bilateral cooperation in Antarctica comes as welcome news.

Sebastian Mallaby argues that Europe's future is looking frighteningly like Japan's past.

Max Boot says the U.S. intelligence community already suffers from a propensity to put quantity over quality.

Julia E. Sweig assesses the recent shift in Mexico's narrative under the newly inaugurated president, Enrique Peña Nieto, and the implications of this shift for Brazil.

Peter Orszag writes that reaching a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff will require Republicans and Democrats to be more flexible about the positions they have staked out over tax and entitlement reforms.

In the Syrian conflict, the U.S. should stay one removed and allow for its allies to lead, says Ed Husain.

Sebastian Mallaby argues that microeconomic struggles are tarnishing the macroeconomic success of the BRICs.

Elliott Abrams says recent Israeli press reports that Washington gave Europe the green light to summon Israeli ambassadors over settlement construction may not be wrong.

Peter Orszag writes that vague, simplistic strategies to limit tax deductions will lose their appeal as the legislative process exposes their flaws.

Sebastian Mallaby argues that President Obama will be unable to stabilize the U.S. debt over the long term without addressing the problem of ballooning health and pension costs.

Michael A. Levi says natural gas is a good and inexpensive alternative to coal and oil, but it's still a fossil fuel. Keeping in mind that gas is far from a permanent climate solution, delegates meeting in Doha for the UN climate change negotiations "should strengthen their efforts, individually and collectively, to promote innovation and development of cost-effective zero-carbon energy options."

With money playing an ever more important role in politics, institutions of higher education need to lead the charge for greater accountability in corporate political spending, says Terra Lawson-Remer.

Steven A. Cook says, "This is a critical moment in Egypt's transition; Morsi and his colleagues would do well to recognize that, rescind the decrees, and commit themselves to the democratic process. At this point, it is the only way for the Brothers to burnish their revolutionary credentials."

Shannon K. O'Neil says, "[American] perceptions reflect the Mexican reality that dominates headlines: soaring crime rates and gruesome murders in a war against drug traffickers. But this window into Mexico overlooks an economic transformation and deepening ties with the United States that reflect a dramatically different country."

"Israel needs a Palestinian partner if it is ever to enjoy peace and be the secure, prosperous, democratic, Jewish state it deserves to be. But such a partner will not just emerge; Israel, as the stronger party, actually needs to help the process along," writes Richard Haass.

Sebastian Mallaby argues that Spain is unlikely to get control of its debt dynamics without more aggressive action from European leaders.

Thanks to the rift between Turkey and Israel, Ankara's days as a power broker in the Arab-Israeli conflict are over, says Steven A. Cook.