The U.S.’s adoption of a support role in Libya is appropriate. Its role as supporter rather than leader will help prevent the perception of this intervention as another American crusade.

Two months after the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, thousands of protesters once again packed into Cairo’s Tahrir Square. This time, the protesters were expressing frustration over the glacial pace of promised reforms in the wake of the revolution.

In the three short months of the “Arab Spring,” waves of young, inexperienced, and unorganized protesters have accomplished what older opposition leaders and ideologues could not in three decades. In Tunisia and Egypt, protestors held out for more than two weeks, braving arrest, oppression, and bullets to see deposed the tyrannical authors of their brutal [...]

Last November, Côte d’Ivoire held its first presidential election in ten years. It was supposed to help unify a country that had suffered through more than a decade of unrest and civil war. Instead, the election has done just the opposite.

Based on the role Ushahidi played in the achievement of a peaceful endorsement of the reformed constitution, a similar system designed for technology already in place and optimized for the way Kenyans use it could finally give citizens a way of making their government live up to the promises of the referendum. It may not be the standard approach, but it’s time the international community looked to unconventional methods to get uncommon results.

In order to combat piracy, the U.S. and its partners must combat not only the pirates but also the aggravating factors that encourage them, such as illegal fishing and toxic waste. Anti-piracy forces working to protect the seas and prevent the dumping of hazardous waste will earn some measure of good will from Somalis even as they crack down on pirates.

While the Kimberley Process has been a good first step, a stronger independent body composed of both exporters and importing firms is needed to regulate both sides of the diamond trade. If enforcement is reliable enough, the profits from the legal trade should be the only incentive needed to ensure participation.

China has sought to demonstrate its deep commitment not only to the economic well-being of the continent, but also to its peace and security.