The October 18th prisoner exchange, seemingly a one-shot, no-strings-attached PR boon for both the Israeli government and Hamas, sets no future precedent for cooperation and will have far-reaching consequences for which neither party is prepared.

While troop withdrawal is part of a legacy of questionable decisions made in Iraq, it also presents an opportunity for America to improve existing relations with the Iraqi people and their politicians.

Myanmar’s government is superficially liberalizing to court the favor of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Now it needs to stop dragging its feet and make these strides in earnest.