The formulation of sound national policy requires finding the right overarching concepts.

The bottom line is that Daesh's defeat requires not just hammering them on the battlefield but, simultaneously, revived political reconciliation with Sunnis.

In the 101st Airborne Division headquarters in Mosul, we had a sign on the wall. It was a question that we would ask ourselves before every new operation or policy initiative. It asked: Will this policy or operation take more bad guys off the streets than it creates by its conduct?

We all have to strive to learn what motivates us, learn from our experiences, and what feels right and what feels wrong. There's a strong component over the years to having formal processes that help to identify lessons that need to be learned, and actions that need to be taken. In other words, how do you find the big idea?

Preventing weight gain requires knowledge. What we're finding is that some knowledge about portion size and regular feedback about people's weight may be enough to prevent a gradual but typical weight gain that occurs in this country over time.

Wishful thinking is not sound public policy.