Let me be clear: I'm a believer in a robust military, which is essential for backing up diplomacy. But the implication is that we need a balanced tool chest of diplomatic and military tools alike. Instead, we have a billionaire military and a pauper diplomacy. The U.S. military now has more people in its marching bands than the State Department has in its foreign service - and that's preposterous.

Just a little help, a small security force, a bit of food, can save lives

Solar power is one of the most hopeful technologies but still produces about 0.01 percent of U.S. electricity. The U.S. allocates just $159 million for solar research per year - about what we spend in Iraq every nine hours.

In general, talking about human rights tends to be very persuasive for people who care about human rights.

Half a million women die each year around the world in pregnancy. It's not biology that kills them so much as neglect.

There is an element of anger among women who've been raped. There's certainly a major element of humiliation. But it really does seem like a medical condition of shock and horror.

The conflict in Darfur could escalate to where we're seeing 100,000 victims per month