Our national leaders tend to try to protect the national interest as they see it. They may screw up in that, but they at least see that as their role. In contrast, where issues of our national values are involved, which covers pretty much any humanitarian issue, they pretty much drop the ball.

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.

Most of the villagers were hiding in the bush, where they were dying from bad water, malaria and malnutrition

Laws matter, but typically changing the law by itself accomplishes little.

While Americans have heard of Darfur and think we should be doing more there, they aren't actually angry at the president about inaction

A few countries like Sri Lanka and Honduras have led the way in slashing maternal mortality.

The photos were taken by African Union soldiers. People in Congress saw them. I thought if people could see them, there would be public outcry. No one would be able to say, We just didn't know what was going on there.