For even the most seasoned diplomats and foreign policymakers, the Israel-Palestinian conflict is a pressure cooker assignment that can cause angst of an existential nature.

In the Arab and Israeli worlds' eyes, Jared Kushner is a perfectly plausible American arbiter of - if not peace - then at least more process, procedure, and posturing.

In an era of rapidly evolving security threats that are often asymmetrical and unpredictable in nature, nuclear weapons are an existential threat we can count on.

The United States and its European allies need to start viewing foreign assistance to some messy and unsavory regions of the world as investments in our collective future rather than charity; we're paying money now so that we don't have to pay with blood and treasure later.