As one who had the honor of serving 35 years in the U.S. military, my experience has convinced me that America’s interests are inextricably linked to the prosperity and security of other nations and their people. Today’s global crises frequently do not have a military solution, but require a comprehensive American engagement that strengthens the civilian tools of development and diplomacy that are essential in enabling countries around the world to address the challenges threatening their security and prosperity as well as ours.

Despite what politicians say, the border crisis is not an immigration problem or a border security problem.  These kids — these tired, poor, huddled masses — are not economic migrants. They — these homeless, tempest tossed to us — are seeking refuge from violent gangs and corrupt cops in Central America. If we deal with the problem that exists instead of having the fight politicians want, then we can do some good.

The political leader of Iraq's Kurds, Massoud Barzani, has appealed for international military aid to help defeat Islamist militants in the north.  The plea came as the US launched a fourth round of air strikes targeting Islamic State fighters near Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The U.S. and India must broaden the scope of their military partnership by jointly developing and producing arms, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Saturday.  Capping a three-day visit to New Delhi, Mr. Hagel also said the U.S. and India should increase the "scale and complexity" of their military exercises.

State Department work doesn’t just involve diplomats and briefcases. U.S. cultural diplomacy sent “jazz ambassadors” such as Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong overseas at the height of the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s. The programs and cultural exchanges have only expanded since.

As U.S. airstrikes pound Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant-held positions in Iraq, Americans and supporters of the radical group have begun trading threats on social media.  Under the hashtag #AmessagefromISIStoUS on microblogging site Twitter, ISIS fans shared photos of dead U.S. army soldiers, and the burning twin towers of 9/11.

Climate change is an area that should ultimately bring the two nations closer together even more than cooperation on energy. If the world’s two largest economies, and two most powerful nations, can’t come together to address this very real threat to human civilization, then what can they achieve together? 

As part of the sports diplomacy program, Tony Sanneh and Thomas Rongen, two American football (soccer) coaches arrived in Port Au Prince this week to take part in a sports program for youth in Haiti, from August 3 - 9, 2014 with partnership from the Haitian National Police (PNH) and the Community Policing Unit, Scouts d'Haïti, and the Haitian Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports.