All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.

I like to think that as I get older I'm getting better at spending time with people who have qualities that make them worth spending time with.

We know that often holding those who have carried out mass atrocities accountable is at times our best tool to prevent future atrocities.

President Reagan, of course, did more than any other person to entrench the Republican reputation for toughness on national security.

While I knew that individuals had in history - and still could - make a difference, it seemed presumptuous - even pompous - to imagine that I could be part of it, that I could be one of them.

Because it started as an offshoot of al Qaeda in Iraq, ISIL has long been subject to U.N. sanctions, and all countries have a legal obligation to freeze its assets and prohibit its business dealings. But countries around the world need to do more to make these sanctions work.